Thrilling Adventiir 

and 

Darind Deeds 







Class ^£^2^ 



Book_K±tllSL 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




MiLO A. Everest. 



THRILLING ADVENTURES 

AND 

DARI NG DEEDS 

OF 

Lieut. Benjamin Everest 
AND Others 



//{.-c 



Favorite Poems, Spirited and Inspiring 
FOR THE Home and Fireside 



ROXBURGHE PUBLISHING COMPANY 
Boston, Mass. 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Weceived 

DEC 16 i904 

Oopyn^iix t-ritry 
I CUSS <a^ XXc ?io{ i 



COWY B. 



|;^-.,s3-L 



COPYRIGHT BY 

Milo A.Everest 

Everett, Mass. 

1904- 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 



PREFACE. 



■♦♦♦♦♦ 



Whenever a new publication is presented to 
the public, it is very common for the author to 
make some excuses by the way of introduction; 
and when a new author issues a book, the gen- 
eral inquiry is. Who is this author and where 
does he hail from? Such information may be 
found on page 200 — 

There were brave and noble men in the early 
history of this the-American Republic, whose 
THRILLING ADVENTURES will be cherished by the 
true and the fearless, and their history will pass 
down from one generation to another. 

The DARING DEEDS of Lieut. BENJAMIN 
EVEREST-and others, as related in this little 
book, are not fictitious or imaginary, but authen- 
tic, and took place when America had need of 
the bravest and ablest men and women on earth 
in order to secure their liberty and maintain 
their independence. 

True honor, and wisdom, have maintained this 
REPUBLic-until she can now, and hereafter be 
properly called-THE star of the world. 



THEILLma ADVENTUEES 
AND 

DARING DEEDS. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ » ■ 



Lieutenant Benjamin Everest and his brother 
Joseph were born in Salisbury Conn. , and moved 
with their father Benjamin to Addison Vt., in 
1768. Three years before this their brother Zad- 
ock, who was born in Shay brook Conn., moved 
to Addison; became one of the first settlers, and 
was the first appointed court judge in Addison 
County . His dwelling was made for a time the 
court-house and jail. 

His Brother Benjamin was well known, and 
noted when a young man for his power and act- 
ivity in all athletic exercises. 

There was not one in all the settlement that 

could RUN, JUMP, OR WRESTLE WITH HIM. 

With a heart that never knew the sensation of 
fear, and a frame capable of enduring any hard- 
ship he was by nature well fitted to take part in 
those early and troublesome times. 

In August 1Y73 when Allen, Warner and 



2 THRILLING ADVENTUEES 

Baker came up to help the settlers drive off 
Col. Eeid and his Yorkers from their position at 
Vergennes, Everest with his brother Zadock and 
other neighbors joined them . 

After having torn down the mills, burned the 
dwellings, and destroyd the settlement, being all 
ready to return, Allen made such an impression 
on Benjamin, their spirits were so much in un- 
ison, that he wished to go with Allen as more 
trouble with the Yorkers was expected . 

Allen was glad of his service and soon gave 
him a sergeants warrant in hand. From that 
time until the opening of the Revolution, Ever- 
est was with Allen more or less . 

On receipt of intelligence of the battle of Lex- 
ington, Everest immediately reported to CoL 
Allen's headquarters, where he received a Lieu- 
tenant's commission, which was afterwards con- 
firmed. 

He was very active and useful in procuring 
men and information, and in many ways aided 
in the capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, 
and was with Allen when he demanded the 
surrender of the fort ( ticonderoga ) in the 
name of the ''great jehovah and continental 

CONGRESS." 

After Allen was taken prisoner at Montreal 



AND DARING DEEDS. 3 

Everest and his company were incorporated 
into Col. Seth Warner's regiment and was with 
Warner at the battle of Hubberton, and with 
his company as rangers held the British in check 
by making a dash here and there, in and out of 
the woods, facilitating and covering the retreat 
of Warner who had decided it was best to fall 
back to a better position. 

Everest at this time received the thanks of 
Warner for the bravery there displayed by him- 
self and men. 

Everest commanded the fort at Eutland dur- 
ing the summer of 1TY8. Major Careton having 
come down the lake in the fall of that year with 
his fleet, undertook extensive repairs in and 
-around the old fort at Crown Point, concerning 
which the American officers desired some cer- 
tain information. Everest was asked to go. 

He was willing and was called one of the best, 
as he was acquainted with the locality, having 
lived for a number of years in that section of the 
country. Doffing his uniform, he soon procur- 
ed a Tory dress (gray), and boldly entered the 
garrison and offered his services as a workman. 
He was set to tend masons. At this work he 
made himself very acceptable by his promptness 
and cheerfulness. 



4 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

After a few days he had acquired about all the 
information that was desired, and was planning 
to give up his position and return to the Ameri- 
can army when, as ill fortune would have it, a 
man by the name of Benedict who was an early 
settler in Addison, but who espoused the British 
cause; came into the fort for some purpose, and 
there saw Everest and knew him; but Everest 
did not see Benedict. 

Benedict at once informed the officer who was 
then in command at the old fort that one of his 
workmen was a spy, and that he was an officer 
from the American army, and before Everest 
was aware that he was in anyway suspected, a 
sergeant and a file of soldiers, who were on duty 
that day, came to him and informed him that 
the commanding officer desired to see him at 
his office. Everest at once believed that some- 
thing of an unusual nature was to be made 
known to him. 

He readily obeyed the summons and accompa- 
nied the soldiers to the commander's office. 

Soon after entering the office Everest was 
asked, -^ 'Have you been in any way connected 
with the American army? Everest did not 
know at first what sort of a reply to make, but 
as soon as he could collect his thoughts he said^ 



AND DARING DEEDS. 5 

'^What do you take me to be? I'm a laboring 
man sir, and came here to obtain work." 

^'But, said the officer in charge, ^'I have some 
valuable information relative to your work prior 
to entering this place. Mr. Benedict with whom 
I presume you are somewhat acquainted, will be 
a witness against you. I therefore shall hold 
you-as prisoner of war, and your trial will take 
place sometime in the near future." 

He was then ordered to be put in prison, where 
he was confined nine days. 

Meanwhile Major Carleton of the British army 
had collected thirty-nine prisoners of war, and 
a number of them were neighbors and acquaint- 
ances of Everest; and all this was accomplished 
through information furnished by the old tory 
Benedict. The British officers held a counsel in 
regard to Everest and decided to take him to 
Montreal, and there try him as a spy. 

Soon after this he was ordered to be put in 
irons and taken on board one of the vessels that 
was about ready to set-sail. 

On board this vessel was his younger brother 
Joseph, Kellogg, and Spaulding, who were also 
held as prisoners. 

It was now a little past the middle of Novem- 
ber, a severe storm from the north-east came o% 



^ THEILLING ADVENTURES 

with the wind blowing furiously. The vessel 
ivas ordered to sail down to Ticonderoga, and 
there take on more freight before proceeding to 
Canada. While at this place the wind shifted 
to the north-west, and the storm increased. 

The prisoners were kept on the quarter deck 
so called, with nothing to cover them but a 
leaky old canvas. Everest would often ask the 
officer in charge to take off his irons, and give 
them the prisoners, something better for a shel- 
ter, to protect them from the storm. His reply 

was, ^'GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU REBELS." After 

some time however, Everest prevailed . The irons 
were taken off and a better canvas was put up, 
which made it somewhat more confortable. 

Everest and the prisoners, then had a good op- 
portunity to consult with one another in regard 
to making their escape that night as they under- 
stood the boat was to set sail for Canada in the 
morning. Everest suggested that sometime in 
the night, they swim to the shore or bridge but 
there was a sentinel to contend with, and how 
to overcome this difficulty was the great ques- 
tion. It was proposed to buy a bottle of rum, 
and then treat the sentinel until he became of 
no account, and by so doing they would have no 
further difficulty, as they could easily swim to 



AND DAKING DEEDS. T 

the bridge that crossed the lake. 

It was not long after their plans were made 
before Everest had an opportunity to visit with 
one of the sailors, who said there was plenty of 
old rum to be had, and furthermore he said he 
would purchase a bottle for him if he could 
furnish the money to pay for it. 

Everest gave him some money, and the sailor 
went for the article. On his return just as he 
stepped on the deck the captain met him and 
said, ''What have you got there?" ''Nothing 
sir," was the sailors reply. Again the captain 
said, in a gruff voice, *'what have you got 
THERE?" The sailor then drew from under his 
coat a bottle of rum, and stepping forward hand- 
ed it to the captain, who while looking it over^ 
drew the cork and after snuffing it, he took 
a look at the sailor which was far from any- 
thing of a pleasant manner, at the same time 
saying, "You don't want anything of the kind," 
and stepping to the side of the boat he emptied 
the bottle of rum in the lake, and threw in the 
bottle also, saying, "I'll take of you." 

Soon after this the captain went away, and it 
was supposed he had gone to forbid the sale of 
liquor to his men. 

But this did not however, frighten the sailor 



8 THRILLING ADVENTUEES 

in the least, for in a very short time he came to 
Everest and said, '^To the devil with him, "mean- 
ing the captain, ^^I will try and procure another 
bottle if you can furnish the money to pay for 
it, and the captain will not have the honor to 
examine it, I can assure you*" 

Everest gave him some more money and soon 
he went away saying, ' 'If I am questioned as to 
what became of the first bottle, I shall say it 
dropped 'from my hand on the deck of the boat 
and went all to smash. Meanwhile in the ab- 
sence of the sailor the captain came on deck and 
after looking around and making a few rough 
remarks, he retired for the night. 

It was not long after this, when the sailor 
came back — smiling, and quickly approaching 
Everest he said in a very low tone of voice, ''I 
have been successful, here is a quart bottle full 
of old rum, I was quite sure I would be able to 
purchase another bottle." Everest and the pris- 
oners were more than pleased. Soon the cork 
was pulled and they all had a drink. After this 
the sailor retired for the night. 

Everest and his comrade prisoners again very 
quietly talked over the project which was up- 
permost on their minds in regard to the plan of 
escape. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 9 

It was then about midnight and the storm 
nearly over and all was quiet on the boat, the 
officers and crew having retired for the night 
leaving one man to guard the prisoners. 

Everest went out near the guard and talked 
with him-invited him to take a drink and to 
stand under the canvas where it was more com- 
fortable, which invitation was accepted. 

After a little while they had another drink 
from the bottle, and soon the guard appeared 
extra friendly, and he would drink as often as 
it was offered to him. About that time they all 
became somewhat cheerful. 

After moving some boxes to make the place 
more convenient, the rum was passed around a- 
gain;at this time the guard drank quite freely, 
and was pretty mellow. 

Everest was somewhat bold and ventured to 
take the guards sword and examine it, and on 
returning it he said, ''He wished he could have 
the honor to carry such a one." Then it was 
proposed to finish up the bottle of rum and go 
to sleep, which was agreed to. 

The prisoners had now accomplished their pur- 
pose, the guard soon leaned over and was sound 
asleep and the time now came for the escape. 

The prisoners quickly took off their clothes 



10 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 

and tied them in bundles and fastened them up- 
on their heads. Everest was to lead off and the 
rest to follow. The boat was heavily loaded, 
therefore the distance from the deck down to 
the water was not far. 

Everest said to his friends, ^'Come on, "-and 
soon lowered himself into the water, and then 
for the bridge he went a swimming which was 
forty rods away. It made him almost cry out 
aloud when he first entered the water, it was so 
piercing cold. Spaulding was the next to follow 
but the water was so cold he crawled back on 
the boat. This so frightened the others they 
would not make the attempt. 

Everest however was successful in reaching 
the bridge on which he crept to a small pile of 
boards that protected him somewhat from the 
wind, but before he could dress he came near 
perishing, it was so much colder out of the water 
than in. It did not take him long to dress for 
he had managed to keep his clothing dry. 

There was a party of British on the east side 
of the lake and Indians on the west side. 

After warming up somewhat and looking over 
the situation, he concluded to pass through the 
Indian encampment, for his dress was gray the 
Tory uniform. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 11 

He believed that if seen by any of them, they 
would think he was from the British encamp- 
ment on the opposite shore of the lake, and that 
he was out with special orders. 

Just before reaching the shore he discovered 
a large quantity of goods piled up under a shed- 
like building; this he believed was the general 
freight house it covered nearlv the whole bridge. 
There was a narrow passage-way and in this 
there stood (or rather leaned) a sentinel. 

In this dismal place there was a small lantern 
which furnished a little light. Everest looked 
about him for a stick or a weapon of some kind 
but could find nothing. 

How to pass this sentinel was more than a 
question. He then concluded to go back and 
pass out at the east end of the bridge ; but on ar- 
riving there, he found it was closed and in such 
a manner as to make it very difficult to climb 
over without making considerable noise. 

He therefore concluded to go back and exam- 
ine the west end once more. 

He recollected he had a razor in his pocket, 
and with this article of defence approached very 
cautiously. He then discovered the sentinel had 
not moved out from his former position. 

This circumstance led Everest to think he was 



12 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 

asleep. With his razor in hand, and his face to- 
ward the sentinel, he passed within six inches 
of him, ready to cut his throat, if necessary, in 
order to make his escape. 

Having reached the shore, he then folded his 
arms like it was the custom with the British 
Lords, and walked slowly through the Indian 
encampment. Only a few Indians were up and 
they were sitting on a log near an old fire and 
did not appear to notice him. 

Everest then went in a north-westerly direc- 
tion with a quick step for he was cold and had 
a strong desire to get out of that section as soon 
as possible for he was in the enemy's country. 

He had not gone far before he came into a 
field the French had cleared some years before, 
and through it there was a deep ditch dug that 
he knew nothing of previous to this time. 

It formed on one side a steep — embankment 
with pointed stakes firmly embedded. 

It being dark, and Everest in somewhat of a 
hurry, he tumbled into the ditch, which was full 
of water. It was then a struggle for life, or a 
life-struggle to get out. Finally he succeeded in 
climbing the embankment after breaking off a 
number of stakes . Then dripping wet he hast- 
ened on to keep warm. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 13 

He then went in a south-westerly direction 
about one mile, and came to where there had 
been a big fire . After satisfying himself that no 
one was near to the place, he rebuilt the fire 
which gave him a good opportunity to dry his 
clothes. This fire was probably built by some 
Indian hunter the day before. 

He there lingered by the fire until about day- 
break, and then he secreted himself in a thick 
piece of woods and-amongst some large trees 
that had fallen down in a cluster; This he said 
was a good hiding place although it could not 
be called very pleasant. 

In that lonely condition, with no company but 
that of brush and logs, he managed to be con- 
tented through the day, at night he went up on 
the hill south-west from BuUwaggy bay. 

From that place he had a most excellent view 
of the surrounding country. 

Knowing the British were most everywhere 
along the line of the lake he kept well back con- 
sidering this to be in his favor. 

Early the next morning he concluded to ven- 
ture down and call on Mr. Webster, an old ac- 
quaintance of his who lived near the lake about 
one mile south of Port Henry. 

Webster was out chopping wood when Everest 



14 THEILLING ADVENTUEES 

met him. It did not take him long to relate the 
trouble and condition he was in; they started to 
go in the house, but on looking up the lake they 
saw a number of British vessels coming down 
the lake in a good breeze, under full sail. 

Everest immediately, by advice of Webster, 
went into the woods near by. Webster then 
carried to him some food which he desired very 
much, having been without food for nearly three 
days. Webster agreed to keep on the lookout 
until after dark; and when the coast was clear to 
go out to the woodpile and chop some wood and 
whistle a tune agreed upon. 

The fleet soon after this come to anchor right 
in front of Webster's old house. When all was 
favorable the signal was given for Everest to re- 
turn to the woodpile. 

That night Mr. Webster with his canoe car- 
ried Everest across the lake to the Vermont 
shore very near his old home in Addison. 

After visiting a short time with many of his 
acquaintances he then returned to his station at 
Eutland, where he made a full report relative to 
the condition of things at Crown Point, how he 
was arrested, and how he made his escape. 

While at Eutland he received orders to enlist 
as many men as possible, and no time was lost, 



AND DAEINO DEEDS. 15 

for in less than two months he had enrolled two 
hundred as brave and able bodied men, he said, 
"^As ever wore shoe-leather." 

They were early settlers, mostly from Mass., 
Rhode Island, and Conn. Everest would often 
8 ;vy, "They were men of the right stamp, "they 
would not bend or bow the knee to any foreign 
power. They hated oppression of every kind, 
and abhored slavery, both of body and mind, and 
regarded all bondage a great hindrance to that 
onward progress which alone can elevate man- 
kind to the true standard of liberty, which is 
marked out by the finger of Grod. 

And so long as memory shall cluster in the 
chamber of wisdom, the war of the Revolution, 
and its heroes will not be forgotten. 

A PICTURE NOT FORGOTTEN 



Oh, never may be mine the heart that feels 
No thrill of joy at memory's fond appeals! 
While many a weary pathway we may tread, 
And thick inwoven boughs wave on o'er head; 
These scenes the mind's historic leaves unroll, 
Will wake the finer chords that thrill the soul. 



16 MEMORY ABIDING. 



There are memories that linger forever, 

And yearnings deep hid in the breast; 
There are feelings unspoken, that never 

Shall change till the heart is at rest. 
There are hours when the soul is all sadness, 

And darkness sits down like a pall, 
Pierced by no ray of sunshine or gladness. 

And life seems a weariness all. 

There are friends whose sympathies cluster, 

The loving, the true and the kind 
Oh, would that they might ever be near us 

To change the sad gloom from the mind. 
There's a pathway our feet may leave never, 

Marked out for the glory of Grod, 
Where stern Duty is beckoning us ever 

Where the footsteps of saints have trod. 

There are hopes that will cheer us in sorrow, 

Thus faith sheds her heavenly light. 
While time points to a fairer to-morrow, 

A day not succeeded by night; 
Where the faithful ones, wayward and weary, 

Are gathered to mansions of rest. 
There exchanging the earth-scenes so dreary. 

For joy in the home of the blest. 



DARING DEEDS. 17 

CHAPTER TWO 

»♦■♦♦♦ 

In the spring a council was held for the pur- 
pose of considering plans for taking Ticondero- 
ga, and thus secure the military stores at that 
place, and convey them to Bennington. 

Accordingly Col. Allen was chosen to carrey 
out the plan, and take with him all the force he 
required. Everest was sent with a body of men 
numbering sixty to Whitehall, to reconnoitre 
and find out the position of the enemy if there 
were any at that place, and then to join with 
Allen at West Haven. 

Everest with his 60 men arrived at Whitehall 
late in the afternoon, and encamped that night 
at a place called "Fiddler's-elbow." In the mor- 
ning early, Everest told his men that he would 
take a walk around the point and up the lake a 
short distance, to see how things looked in that 
direction, saying as he left, '^I will not be gone 
long; stay here until I come back." 

After Everest left the camp and passed around 
the point a short distance, he was surprised and 
taken prisoner by a party of twelve Indians, who 
were secreted in a little clump of bushes that 
grew in a ravine near the bank of the lake. 



18 THRILLING ADVENTUEES 

The Indians no doubt discovered him walk- 
ing along the bank and had made their plans 
to capture him as soon as he came near, for they 
were all prepared to spring upon him. 

Everest knew it would be an act of folly to 
attempt to break away from them, therefore he 
submitted to their orders. They soon took from 
him his knee-buckles and razor, then they bound 
him according to the Indian custom with raw- 
hide, and led him up the lake a short distance to 
where they had several canoes. 

They wasted no time in conveying their prison- 
er to Crown Point, for they acted as though 
they had something valuable for the British. 

At Crown Point they delivered him up to the 
British officers and soldiers there in camp. 

Soon after he was received, a prison pen was 
built, which consisted of four poles about ten 
foot long, each end resting on crotched stakes 
drived in the ground. 

In this enclosure Everest was told to be con- 
tented "and stay, "while a guard was put over 
him. Shortly after this, Everest asked the In- 
dians who captured him if they would before 
going away, give him back his knee-buckles and 
razor, which they did. It was not long after 
this when a small boat left the shore with one 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 19 

officer on board. Everest overheard some one 
say, ^ 'They have gone, "meaning the officer had 
gone after some irons to put on him which they 
said were kept on board one of the large vessels 
that was at anchor nearly two miles up the 
lake, and near the old fort where he had been 
once arrested and put in prison. 

Meanwhile a great crowd had collected to see 

who the prisoner was, and among a number that 

Everest knew was Bennagor Benedict, who had 

previously given information which caused his 

arrest while at work in the old fort. 

This Benedict was a genuine old Tory, a man 
vrho could make a great noise about nothing. 

At this time he was loaded with words of 
thunder, because they did not tie him. 

He swore that Everest would get away from 
them, for said he, ''I know him, he made his es- 
cape once and he will again before the irons can 
be put on him." 

During this time Everest put on his knee- 
buckles, and kept walking about the inclosure 
thinking over what Benedict had said, and was 
saying; and he knew if the irons were put on 
him he would be taken to Montreal. 

Everest realized what had already taken place 
and felt somewhat excited, but did not manifest 



20 THKILLINa ADVENTUEES 

it in any manner, while Benedict kept up a war 
of words to create excitement. 

Meanwhile a number of young men and sol- 
diers that were off duty, commenced playing 
and fooling around with each other, by pulling 
and hauling, and grabbing off their caps and 
throwing them up in the air, and from one to 
the other-saying in a musical tone-and from 
many voices, * 'Ketch him! ketch him!!" 

One of the caps was thrown into the prison- 
pen, Everest quickly picked it up and placed it 
on his own head finding it a good fit he wore it, 
(the cap belonged to a British soldier.) 

Everest then threw his own into the crowd, 
and feeling the need of a little exersise he jump- 
ed out of the enclosure or prison pen, and joined 
in the concert that was then going on, shouting, 
**Ketch him! ketch him!! ketch him!!!" 

Everest did not know what this would lead 
to, but he saw there would be soon an opening 
to try his foot power for liberty while in this 
state of confusion. Soon there was an opening, 
and Everest entered in with all the foot power 
he had. He ran up the road some forty rods 
and then entered the woods in better time than 
he had ever made before. 

Only a few pursued him, one by one they 



AND BAKING DEEDS. 21 

gave up the chase and went back . One big fel- 
low followed him for sometime and quite near,, 
not more than ten rods away. 

Everest had become somewhat angry by this 
time, and concluded to halt, and let the big fel- 
low come up to him for an introduction if he de- 
sired one. Everest stopped running suddenly, 
and threw off his coat quickly, then faced about^ 
and was ready to meet him. 

The big fellow also stopped, and looking back 
found himself all alone, he then turned and ran 
nearly as fast back toward the camp. Everest, 
then began to think about a place to hide, for he 
believed the enemy would resort to all possible 
means to capture him, and that a line would be 
formed from the lake to Bull-waggy-bay before 
he could get through that place. 

His first plan was to find a hollow log or a 
thicket of under-brush to conceal himseK in, but 
he soon thought this would be unwise, for the 
Indians would be employed to capture him, and 
he knew their method of hunting. 

He therefore concluded to hasten on as fast 
as possible, and take the chances on getting out 
before they could surround him. 

Everest, realized he was in a difficult position 
for soon he came to an open field, here he rested 



22 THRILLING ADVENTUEES 

for a time watching in every direction . It was 
not long before he discovered the enemy in the 
woods nearly opposite, having got their line es- 
tablished. Near to where he was standing be- 
side an old stump of a tree, was a ditch used to 
drain this swanp land and over this ditch there 
was part of a bridge made of poles and brush. 

Here the wildgrass grew thick and rank. Ev- 
erest dropped down and crawled under the old 
bridge; he then pulled some grass and sticks 
around him leaving a place open where he could 
look out. This proved to be a most excellent 
hiding place and no doubt saved his life. 

Shortly after Everest hid some of the British 
scouts came marching in haste through the field 
about four rods apart, and one came within ten 
feet to where Everest was lying. 

They were looking too high to find him. After 
they had all passed by and had time enough to 
have gone out of sight, Everest raised his head 
and saw one of their company looking back; but 
soon they were out of sight. 

Then he turned his head in another direction 
and saw a man about fifteen rods off coming 
across the field. He came within a short dis- 
tance and for some time he thought this man 
would surely discover him. 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 23 

Everest meanwhile had made up his mind, if 
discovered, to give himself up, and at an oppor- 
tune moment disable his captor. This officer 
expected to find him up a tree from the way he 
looked for him. It was not long after this when 
he discovered some Indians out near the woods, 
soon they came near the middle of the field and 
sat down in a line back to back, until sundown, 
and when the evening gun was fired they got up 
and started for the fort . There was a foot-path 
through this field which they had made. 

From time to time, other squads of Indians 
were seen by Everest passing through this field 
until after 10 o'clock that night. 

Everest believed there were more than two 
hundred in all who passed over this clearing 
while he was there. At about 11 o, clock, he left 
his hiding place and and crept through the wild 
grass to the woods on the opposite side 

Then he took a south-westerly course intend- 
ing to reach Lake George. His courage was 
then good, but soon he came to another clearing 
on the opposite side, and in the direction he was 
going he discovered a dim light at the edge of 
the v/oods. This brought on a change of feeling, 
fearing it to be an Indian camp. 

After standing still for a short time and not 



^4 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 

■discovering anyone in that direction, he crept 
toward the dim light until he could see that no 
one was stopping there — from the appearance 

OF THINGS THERE HAD BEEN THE DAY BEFORE. 

Everest rekindled the fire and was soon com- 
fortably warm . After this he entered the woods 
and hastened on fast as possible. 

He had proceeded scarcely fifty rods before he 
was surprised and somewhat frightened to hear 
a dreadful clatter and cracking in the brush and 
bushes near by. 

His first thought was Indians. But he soon 
discovered a number of deer had been frighten- 
ed out of the camp this led him to believe that 
Indians were not in that section of the country. 
Everest then listened to the noise of the deer 
and soon discovered their course was south-west 
and about the same direction he wanted to go, 
therefore he thought it would be wise to follow 
their direction for they would not lead him into 
any difiiculty. 

He traveled on in their direction until about 3 
o'clock that morning. Meanwhile he was think- 
ing there was a farmer living in Benson by the 
name of Fuller who had two sons in the Amer- 
ican army. Everest had never met Mr. Fuller 
but had met his sons and daughter on two occa- 



AND DARING DEEDS. 25 

siotts, and had no doubt they were loyal to the 
American cause, and that it would be safe to call 
there and obtain something to eat. 

Therefore he concluded to change his former 
plans and call on Mr . Fuller for refreshments . 

He then changed his course for Fuller's where 
he arrived at 7 o'clock that morning. 

He met Mr. Fuller when he was coming from 
the barn to the house where he had been doing 
chores. Everest made himself known as well as 
he could in a few words. Mr. Fuller then invit- 
ed him into the house. His house was substan- 
tially made of logs, the parlor, sitting-room, din- 
ing-room and kitchen were on the ground floor, 
and they were all in one, which was much the 
style in thoes days . 

Everest had not been in the house but a few 
moments when a bright little woman came in 
with a pail of milk and said, ' ^Father can't you 
take the gentleman's cap." Then taking another 
look she quickly recognized him~whom she had 
met on two former occasions. 

It did not take her very long to manifest her 
pleasure in meeting him at this time. 

Her mother was busy preparing the break- 
fast. Everest found them loyal to the American 
cause; and there was nothing too good for him. 



26 THEILLINO ADVENTUEES. 

' 'How quickly the voice of friends strikes deep 
upon the ear, and vibrates through the heart." 

While stopping with Mr. Fuller, some of their 
good friends came in, and the day was spent in 
the good old fashion way — In the evening about 
eight o'clock Everest left for West Haven. 

It was a most delightful starlight night, the 
moon was full and beautiful. 

His new acquaintances made that day were of 
much value in directing him to West Haven, 
where he arrived a little after midnight. He 
came to the main road nearly one mile from the 
little garrison, and when he discovered he was 
so near he took off his coat and ran puffing along 
making noise enough for a regiment. Soon he 
was inside the picket line his appearance created 
much excitement among those on guard and oth- 
ers. But in a little while all was quiet again. 

In the morning he had breakfast with the 
officers and after relating his experience to them, 
and taking a couple hours rest he started on for 
South Bay to find his men he left at Fiddler's- 
elbow, near Whitehall. 

On arrival at that place he found his men all 
there and in good health. If friends ever were 
glad to meet it was at this time, for they had 
worried night and day while looking for him. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 27 

As soon as Everest could account for his 
absence and relate his experience which they 
were so anxious to hear, they packed up their 
tents and equipments and then started back for 
West Haven, and there joined Col. Allen's reg- 
iment, and from this place they soon went up to 
Ticonderoga, and took that town. 

Everest had orders here to stay and superin- 
tend in moving the military stores which they 
had taken. A few boats were obtained to trans- 
port the goods to Whitehall, no time was lost in 
loading the boats, for it was reported that some 
of the British vessels were in sight coming up 
the lake in a good sailing breeze. 

All the boats that were then loaded with goods 
-were orderd to leave at once, or soon as possible. 
The boat that Everest, and his brother Zadock 
had command of was the last to leave, and they 
were obliged to run their boat to the shore in 
order to prevent being captured. At this time 
they lost many things of value. After landing 
and climbing up the hill from the shore, Everest 
ventured back to secure his coat that he had 
left in the boat. He had not proceeded far be- 
fore the British commenced to fire at him. 

Everest said, '^It did not take me very long 
to climb back over the hill, and disappear from 



28 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

their sight.'' After overtaking his brother and 
party, he was somewhat surprised on looking the 
coat over, to find he had secured his brother's 
in place of his own. 

THE SOUND OF WAR. 



Friend, hast thou from dark clouds heard 

thunder break, 
In peels so loud you'd think the dead 

would wake? 
And livid lightning flashing, darting 

thro' the air. 
Causing the mind to fill with terror 

and despair. 

Friend, hast thou been where hosts 

engage in war? 
Where balls and shells with terror 

pierce the air? 
Where the hero stands firm amid 

explosions dier, 
Inwrapped in clouds of powder-smoke, 

and flames of fire. 



AFTER THE BATTLE. 29 



Soon after the Battle, our boys wrote home. 

They'd been out gathering the dead, 
They could not then, all their losses relate, 

For the field was covered, they said. 
Many hundred slain, in the graves were laid, 

This slaughter, our General, called hell! 
The fiery-blue hale, made the earth look pale 

Where many brave soldiers fell. 

In that letter it said, '*You may all know, 

Our boys had pure courage, and grit; 
While time after time, a gap in their ranks 

Would tell where some missile had hit." 
They have bravely answer'd to every call. 

While meekly they owned God's favor, 
And now through history we can recall, 

The Nation's roll of honor. 

They also said, ''We have burdens to share, 

While for this our Nation we stand, 
And should it cast down the last soldier here. 

Our Banner shall wave o'er the land." 
There are millions on this beautiful shore. 

The shore of the brave and the free; 
Who can look back to the years long past. 

When war-clouds rolled like the sea. 



30 THKILLING ADVENTUKES 

CHAPTER THREE. 



After the capture of Burgoyne Everest obtain- 
ed a furlough, with the intention of visiting Ad- 
dison to look after his father's property, his fath- 
er having gone back to Connecticut with his fam- 
ily. Not knowing how matters stood in that 
section, he approached warily, keeping on the 
highlands between Otter Creek and the lake, in- 
tending to strike the settlement at Vergennes, 
and then turn back to Addison. Arriving at the 
Falls at dark, he kindled a fire and lay down. 

About midnight he awoke by the warwhoop 
and found himself a prisoner to a party of Ind- 
ians that were on their way to lake memphram- 
AGOG to attend a council of most of the tribes 
of Canada, New York and New England. 
He suffered much from the thongs with which 
he was bound at first, but understanding the na- 
ture of the Indians very well, he so gained their 
confidence that they shovf ed him more leniency 
afterwards. On the breaking up of the coun- 
cil he was brought back to the western shore of 
LAKE CHAMPLAiN near Whallons Bay, where they 
encamped for the winter. 

Everest had been pondering in his mind for a 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 31 

long time various plans for escape, but conclud- 
ed to wait until the lake was frozen. 

It was now December, and the lake had been 
frozen some two or three days, the ice was as 
smooth as glass, the sun shone out quite pleasant- 
ly, and the air was comfortable. 

The Indians prepared for a frolic on the ice; 
many of them had skates and were very good 
skaters. Everest asked to be permitted to go 
down and see the sport, as he had never seen 
any one skate; they gave him leave to go, two or 
three evidently keeping an eye on him. He ex- 
pressed his wonder and delight at their perform- 
ances so natural that all suspicion was luUed. 

After a time when the Indians began to be 
tired somewhat, and many were taking off their 
skates, Everest asked a young Indian who had 
just taken off a very fine pair to let him try and 
SKATE. This the Indians readily consented to, 
expecting to have some sport out of the white 
man's falls and awkwardness. 

Everest put on the skates got up, and no 
sooner up than down he came, striking heavily 
on the ice; and again he essayed to stand and 
down he fell, and so continued to play the novice 
until all the Indians had become tired of watch- 
ing him and were somewhat scattered about the 



32 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

LAKE. Everest had contrived to stumble and 
work his way some 15 or 20 rods from the near- 
est, when he turned and skated a rod or two to- 
ward them, and partly falling, he went on his 
knees, and began to fix and tighten his skates. 

This being done, he rose, and striking a few 
strokes toward the eastern shore, he bent for- 
ward to his work, giving himself a few insulting 
slaps to denote that he was off. 
With a whoop and a yell of rage- the Indians 
that had on their skates started in persuit. He 
soon saw that none could overtake him and felt 
quite confident of his escape. 

After getting more than half way across the 
LAKE ; and the ice behind him covered with Ind_ 
ians,he looked toward the east shore and saw two 
Indians coming arround a point directly in front 
of him. This did not alarm him for he turned 
his course directly up the lake. Again he look- 
ed and saw his persuers [excepting to or three 

OF THEIR best SKATERS, WHO FOLLOWED DIRECT- 
LY IN HIS track] had spread themselves in a line 
from shore to shore. He did not at first under- 
stand it, but after having past up the lake a- 
bout three miles, he came suddenly upon one of 
those immence cracks or fissures in the ice that 
so frequently occur when the ice is glare. 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 33 

It ran in the form of a semicircle from shore 
to shore, the arch in the centre and up the lake . 
The Indians on his flank had already reached 
the crack, and were coming down toward the 
middle. Everest flew along the edge of the 
crack but could find no place that seemed possi- 
ble for human power to leap. But the enemy 
were close upon him, he took a short run-back- 
ward, and then shooting forward like lightning 
T^ith every nerve strained, he took the leap and 
just reached the farther side — None of the Ind- 
ians dared to follow. 



KEEPING IN MEMOEY. 



There are deeds long past, that linger 
And shall we call them blest? 

They may cheer, and they may sadden, 
Far down within the breast. 

The power is not within ones-self 
To bid such things depart; 

The lurking memories will intwine 
Within the human heart. 



34: THKILLING ADVENTURES 



Out in the twilight, all alone, 

Out by the little gate; 
I lean, and listen, for footsteps, 

I listen, watch and wait. 
Bright golden light, fades in the west, 

A shade comes o'er the sky. 
The dew-drops gather on the leaves. 

And tear-drops cluster nigh. 

Deep darkness shades the valley round, 

And rests upon the hill; 
The stars gaze at me lovingly, 

While I am waiting still. 
Waiting, yes, praying, all for one 

As moments swiftly fly. 
While in each breeze, yet all unseen, 

They whisper, ^ 'Coming nigh." 

A light, a soft pale silv'ry light, 

O'er-speads the mountain brow; 
The cold moon above the hills shine 

While I am sad somehow. 
Hark! to the steps, I know so well, 

I hear him coming now; 
Be still, ''My throbbing heart, be still, 

Belov'd where linger'd thou?" 



AND DARINa DEEDS. 35 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 



After the war Everest returned again to his 
home in Addison, where his father Kved from 
1769 to 1TT6, then he was driven by the enemy, 
and returned to Salisbury Conn. with his family, 
and there died before the close of the war. 

A number of useful articles that belonged to 
his father had been hidden away by some one of 
the family, and no doubt expected Benjamin 
would find them on his return home — And sure 
enough he wasn't at home long before he found, 
an ax, two old books,.one iron-kettle, and the old 
kitchen tongs. These articles Everest would 
often refer to, as of much value to him. 

He soon returned to Salisbury the place of his 
childhood, and there purchased a number of arti- 
cles that belonged to the estate of his father; and 
then with the articles and his venerable mother 
returned back to Addison and there engaged in 
farming. Meantime he could not forget Miss 
Patty Fuller, who had taken so much interest 
in his welfare while stopping at her home after 
making his second escape from the British. 

He said, ^^I'll never be contented until I have 
seen Miss Fuller, once more." It was not long 



36 THRILLING ADVENTUEES 

before he had business out in that section of the 
country where she lived, and quite frequently, 
which resulted in an old fashion wedding, [most 
royal]- And for more than 60 years they shared 
each others company, in joy, and in sorrow. 

During these years they were blest with a 
family of children, 7 boys and 4 girls, who grew 
up to love and honor their father and mother, 
and who were a credit to their country and 
name. Each year as time past on, the children 
would return home and there have a re-union 
by the old fireside, and there present to father 
and mother, a token of some kind, to beautify 
their love and affection for them. 

The first break in the family circle was caused 
by the death of Benjamin F. at the age of 42. 

The next to follow was the beloved mother, the 

STAR OF THE HOME. 

Passed beyond all toil and trouble. 
Passed beyond this world of care; 
Entered through the gates to glory, 
Entered where the loved ones are. 

Her trust was in God who gave her wisdom to 
direct in the destiny of her children. On the 
3rd of March following, her true and life-long 
companion crossed life's river to meet her. 



A CHAPTER COMPLETE ST 

Among the early pensioners who were granted 
a pension by act of congress, was one to Lieut ► 
Benjamin Everest, of $240 a year. This sum 
was at that time considered a large pension. 

In every war America has been engaged in, 
some of the descendants of Benjamin Everest 
were there, loyal, faithful, and true to the 
FLAG OF LIBERTY. 



On a monument at West Addison, Vermont, 
bears the following inscription: 

Lieut. BENJAMIN EVEREST 

WAS BORN AT SALISBURY CONNECTICUT 

Jan. 12th, 1752, 

AND MOVED WITH HIS FATHER BENJAMIN 
TO THIS TOWN IN 1768, AND DIED HERE 

March 3rd, 1843, 

AGED 91 YEARS. 

Thus lies the Christian, 

The Philanthropist 
The Revolutionary hero 
And the Patriot. 



38 THEILLING ADVENTUKES 

Should we who live to laud the deeds of our 
ancestors, and who in part live by the result of 
their labor, be content with less intelligence, or 
less patriotism? A state exists in its history. 

Take away the memory of the past, and what 
remains? A name, and only a name. Takeaway 
the sample and all the recorded wisdom of the 
past, and what ray of light would be left for our 
guidance? What could we do but grope through 
darkness and inexperience, and wonder in the 
maze of perpetual childhood? If we are bound 
to respect the claims of posterity, we likewise 
owe a debt to our ancestory. 

A few recorded circumstances and events are 
herein related, touching the early experiences 

of the GREEN MOUNl^AIN SETTLERS whicll might 

serve to interest the reader, and keep within a 
proper limit so as to be prudent, and not dwell 
long upon any single line, but at the same time 
relate some of the trials and perplexities our 
venerable fathers had to encounter, and the la- 
bor they experienced in subduing the forests, and 
braving the dangers and vicissitudes to which 
their condition exposed them. 

Besides the labor and privations with which 
they all had to struggle, the country at that time 
was considerably infested with wolves, panthers 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 3^ 

and bears, which rendered it somewhat danger- 
ous many times to venture a great distance from 
home without being properly armed and equip- 
ped to meet a deadly foe in the charactor of 
some ferocious and hungry wild beast. Still 
they were often under the neccessity of journey^ 
ing into the wilderness, and sometimes to a con- 
siderable distance. 

At that time, most of the inhabitants owned 
one cow, and for many years the pasture which 
they had for their cattle consisted of the forest, 
and not unfrequently they would ramble to a 
considerable distance, in which case the only 
guide the owner had in seeking them was the 
sound of the bell, fastened with a leather strap 
to the neck of the favorite cow. 

I have heard of several instances of inhabit- 
ants being beset by bears in their ramble, in 
search of cattle. Wolves were not so plenty in 
Vermont as in many other sections, yet flocks 
of sheep, though small, were sometimes destroy- 
ed by them — Yet some of the wild animals, were 
a benefit at times, especially bears, as their flesh, 
many times, served in part to furnish the settlers 
with meat, (which from domestic animals was 
very scarce,) and their skin were used for moc- 
casins and varisus other purposes. 



40 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

The early inhabitants of Vermont were never 
slow to show themselves capable and willing to 
make war against all intrusions of wild beasts . 

It was many years ago told how Ranney and 
Brown went down to visit the old bear's den as 
it had been the custom, there they found much 
the same appearance as the year before. Im- 
mediately, Ranney's dog went into the den. 

Mrs. Bruin not liking such an unceremonious 
call, or being partial as to what company she 
entertained, soon ejected him from her domicile, 
and followed him out, intending to give him 
such a flagellation that he would be more man- 
erly in introducing himself upon the notice of 
strangers. As quiet as she was, he acted as if 
he thought she had hurried him out rather too 
quick, and that in doing so she had been as 
rough and unceremonious as he had, and that 
he shouldn't hurry about leaving the dooryard, 
but would take the next lesson there. 

The bear and dog immediatly closed in for a 
fight. The men, with their snow shoes on stood 
by. Ranney saw at a glance that his dog would 
get the worst of the fight unless he had help im- 
mediately ; so he stepped astride of the bear, and 
took an ear in each hand. When she felt the 
whole weight of this new element in the contro- 



AND DARINa DEEDS. 41 

Tersy was made to bear upon her, she turned her 
attention from the plaintive and suppliant tones 
of the dog to the more defiant antagonist on 
her back. In her effort to get rid of Eanney, 
she took his hand into her mouth and bit it 
through. Kanney couldn't fight any more ; but 
Brown's dog, when he found there was fighting, 
applied himself to her haunches, which had a 
tendency to lacerate her feelings so severely, she 
now turned her attention to him, having no fur- 
ther fear of Eanney or his dog. 

Meanwhile Brown had cut a small club, and 
came to the scene of action just in time the bear 
turned upon his dog. She had hurt him so that 
he wouldn't trouble her any more than Eanney 
and the first dog. The bear at once raised her- 
self upon her haunches to fight Brown. 

He struck at her, but she would either dodge 
the blow or ward it off with her fore feet, and 
every time she warded off or dodged a blow she 
would step back and strike again. Eanney 
in the meantime begging Brown to desist and 
let the bear go, and come and do up his hand. 

Brown, however, didn't feel like beating a re- 
treat under such circumstances, and kept plying 
the blows. After some time spent in striking, 
dodging, and hitching up, the bear made a mis- 



42 THKILLING ADVENTUKES 

take in the rule of fencing and a blow fell upon 
her nose, which she instantly dropped into the 
snow, and Brown, plying his club vigorously, 
soon killed her. He then did up Eanney's hand, 
and he started for home. Brown dressed the 
bear, and found the ball he had shot her with 
the year before . He then went into the den and 
found two more cubs, which he killed on the 
spot.. When asked why he didn't keep and 
tame them, he replied. ''He found it a d- sight 
easier to kill young bears than old ones." 

ON THE LINE OF WISDOM. 

■ ♦ ♦ »■♦ » 

A handful of common sense is worth a bushel 
of learning. 

A bridle for the tongue is a necessary piece 
of furniture. 

It's no use hiding from a friend what's known 
to an enemy. 

A rich dress is not worth a straw to one who 
has a poor mind. 

If you would know what a dollar is worth try 
to borrow one. 

Soft words, warm friends ;bitter words, lasting; 
enemies. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 43 

It is impossible at this day to form a just con- 
ception of the hardships encountered by early 
settlers of Vermont, leaving the comforts and 
conviences of an older country, moving to a 
distant wilderness into dwellings insufficient to 
protect them from the wintry blast and with 
but scanty fare : yet with unremittng toil th ey 
sought to clear them up a home. And yet with 
all their industry and frugality, for the first few 
years it was difficult to raise sufficient provis- 
ions to subsist upon. 

Their corn had to be brought from the river 
towns upon horses, a great part of the distance 
through the forest, guided by marked trees. 

At one time being out of provisions Jonathan 
Gray and a neighbor started for the Connecticut 
valley in quest of corn. Not being able to find 
any on the Vermont side of the river they re- 
solved to cross to the New Hampshire side. 

No regular conveyance near and although late 
in the evening they mounted their horses and 
attempted to swim them to the other shore, but 
the darkness was so great that they reached the 
shore at a considerable distance below the old 
landing place where a steep bank covered with 
a heavy growth of bushes prevented their horses 
from obtaining a footing. 



4:4 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

A few lusty haUoes, however, brought a sturdy 
farmer to the bank who exclaimed with a strong 
Scotch accent: ''Hoot, mon, what do ye here." 
A few words sufficed to explain to him their sit- 
uation and with the assistance of himself and 
sons they were soon upon terra firma once 
more, where wet and benumbed with cold they 
gladly availed themselves of the invitation ex- 
tended to them by the hospitable Scotchman to 
spend the night at his home. 

The following morning having procured their 
corn, they crossed the river by means of a boat 
and proceeded homeward. Mrs. Brown has of- 
ten told that when she first came into the town 
the only covering to their cabin consisted of 
strips of bark confined to the roof by means of 
large timbers placed at right angles. 

A few plank were split out, upon which was 
placed her bed ; while two more pinned together 
served them for a door; and in such a dwelling 
surrounded by wild beasts, and exposed to the 
vicissitudes of a New England climate, they liv- 
ed, and they prospered. No hardship so great, 
no labor so severe, no undertaking so hazardous 
as to daunt their spirits, or cause them to waver 
from their firm determination to build them up 
a home. Hiram Jennings said at one time 



AND DARING DEEDS. 45 

when he was a young man and just commenced 
in life. His family consisted of a wife and one 
child ;they lived in a rude log house, the door of 
which was without suitable fastenings. 

One night, weary with the labors of the day, 
they had retired to rest: when about midnight 
they were awakened by something traveling up- 
on the outside of the bed. They at first sup- 
posed it to be a dog, but upon looking up, they 
at once discovered that their visitant was in 
fact a full grown bear. They were terribly 
frightened, but Mr. Jennings quickly springing 
upon his feet caught him by the hind leg, and 
endeavored to pull him from the bed, but Bruin, 
it seems was as much frightened as the rest, for 
quickly extricating his foot from the grasp, he 
sprang from the bed leaned for the door, and put 
for the forest with all speed. 

The mountain streams were formerly a favor- 
ite resort for the beaver tribe. There are sever- 
al meadows in town, which were once formed 
by these industrious little creatures, all of which 
produce a luxuriant growth of grass. 

Some of their dams still remain almost entire, 
but the greater part of them have been leveled 
by the plough of the farmer, and the beaver 
have been destroyed by the hunter. 



46 WHISPEEING BILL. 



So you're taking the census, mister? There's 

three of us living still, 
My wife an' I an' our only son, that folks call 

Whisperin' Bill; 
But Bill couldn't tell ye his name, sir, and it's 

hardly worth the givin'. 
For ye see a bullet killed his mind and left 

his body livin'. 

Set down for a minute, mister, Ye see. Bill 

was only fifteen 
At the time o' the war, and as likely a boy as 

ever this world has seen; 
An' what with the news of battles lost, the 

speeches an' all the noise, 
I guess every farm in the neighborhood lost 

a part of its crop of boys. 

'Twas harvest time when Bill left home;every 

stalk in the fields o' rye 
Seemed to stand tiptoe to see him off, an' 

wave him a fond good-by; 
His sweetheart was here, with some other 

girls-the sassy little miss! 
An' pretendin' she wanted to whisper 'n his 

ear, she gave him a rousin' kiss. 

Oh he was a hansum f ellew, an' tender an' 

brave an' smart. 
An' tho' he was taller then I was, the boy 

had a woman's heart. 



WHISPERING BILL CON., 47 

I couldn't control my f eelin's but I tried with 

all my might, 
An' his mother an' me stood a-cryin' till Bill 

was out o' sight . 

His mother, she often told him, when she 

knew he was goin' away. 
That Grod'd take care o' him, mebbe, if he 

didn't fergit t'pray; 
An' on the bloodiest battlefields, when bullets 

whizzed 'n the air. 
An' Bill was a-fightin' desperit,he used to 

whisper a prayer. 

His old comrades have often told me, that Bill 

never flinched a bit, 
When every second a gap in the ranks told 

where a ball had hit. 
An' one night, when the field was covered 

with the awful harvest o' war, 
They found my boy 'mongst the martyrs o' 

the cause he was fightin' for. 

His fingers were clutched in the dewy grass- 

oh, no, sir, he wasn't dead. 
But he lay o' helpless and crazy, with a rifle 

ball in his head. 
An' if Bill had realy died that night I'd give 

all I've got worth givin', 
For, y' see, the buUet had killed his mind an' 

left his body Hvin'. 



48 WHISPERING BILL CON., 

An officer wrote an' told us how the boy had 

been hurt in the fight, 
But he said that the doctor reckoned they 

could bring him around all right. 
An' then we heard from a neighbor disabled 

at Malvern Hill, 
That he thought in course of a week or so 

he'd be comin' home with Bill. 

We were that axious t' see him we'd set up 

an' talk all o' nights. 
Till the break o' day had dimmed the stars 

an'put out the northern lights. 
We waited an' watched f er er month or more, 

an' the summer was nerly past. 
When a letter came one day that said he'd 

started for home at last. 

I'll never forget the day Bill came-'twas 

harvest time again. 
An' the air blown over the yellow fields was 

sweet with the scent o' the grain. 
The doorway was full o' the neighbors who 

had come to share our joy, 
And all of us sent up a mighty cheer at the 

sight o' that soldier boy. 

An' all of a sudden somebody said: '^My God,. 

don't the boy know his mother?" 
An' BiU stood a-whisperin', fearful like, an' 

starin'from one to another; 



WHISPERING BILL CON., 49 

**Don't be afraid, Bill, " said he to himself, as 

he stood in his coat of blue, 
^^God'll take care o' you. Bill; God'U take 

care of you." . 

He seemed to be loadin' an' f irin' a gun, an^ 

to act like a man who hears 
The awful roar o' the battlefield a-soundin' 

in his ears. 
I saw that the bullet had touched his brain 

an' somehow made it blind. 
With the picture o' war before his eyes an' 

the fear o' death in his mind. 

I grasped his hand, an' says I to Bill: ^^Don't 
ye remember me? 

I'm ye father-don't ye know me? How fright- 
ened ye seem to be?" 

But the boy kep' a-whisperin' to himself, as 
if 'twas all he knew : 

* 'God'U take care o' you, Bill; God'U take 
care o' you." 

He's never known us since that day, nor his 

sweetheart, an' never will. 
Father an' mother an' sweetheart are all the 

same to Bill, 
An' many's the time his mother sets up the 

whole night through 
An' smooths his hair an' says: Yes, Bill, God'U 

take care of you. 



50 WHISPEKING BILL, CON. 

Unfortunate? Yes; but we can't complain; 

it's a livin' death more sad 
When the body clings to a life o' shame, 

an' the soul has gone to the bad. 
But Bill is out o' the reach o' all harm, 

an' dangers of every kind. 
We only take care of his body, God takes 
care of his mind." -irying bacheller. 



» ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 



ELDEE MOSES CHENEY. 

The venerable Dr. Moses Cheney of Sheffield 
Vt. of whom it can be said that probably no man 
ever preached, prayed and sung more for thirty 
years than he. By nature he was a natural spir- 
ited and gifted orator, always setting forth so 
plainly his ideas, that all who heard understood 
and were pleased. He was a man capable of 
the most deeply solemn feelings and looks; but 
he enjoyed a little fun at the proper time, as 
well as any other man, and was capable of us- 
ing sharp words, and was sometimes sarcastic, 
but never bitter. He used to say sometimes 
he was sorry to have people laugh under his 
preaching, but they would, and yet as often the 
tears would flow with smiles. A stranger to 
him once told it about right, when she said. 



AND DARINa DEEDS. 61 

* ^Father Cheney, I heard you preach once, and I 
never laughed and cried so much in one sermon. 

He abhored dishonesty in any man, and hated 
above all things to be cheated ; we give an anec- 
dote to illustrate this: The Baptist Society in 
Derby, on a certain time thought they ought to 
do more than they were doing for the Elder. So 
they appointed a committee to purchase a cow 
and present her to him . They did so, and he 
was very grateful. But upon trial, the milk of 
the cow was found to be skimmed milk and that 
continually. 

She was faithfully tried for one week; during 
which time the Elder assertained that the com- 
mittee had bought her of a man who had once 
made him pay for a pair of blinders twice, and 
that, together with the fact that there was ^'no 
cream on the joke," determined the Elder to re- 
turn the cow. So one morning he called one of 
his boys to him, and said: ''Here P., take this 
whip, and drive that cow back to where she 
came from, and tell Deacon Carpenter that your 
father says he will stand a law suit before he 
will take the gift of her." 

He was a high-tempered man, but usually kept 
that temper under his control, or as he used to 
say, ''he kept down the Dustin blood." 



52 THRILLING ADVENTUEES 

He was not in the habit of doing things hast- 
ily, but when it was necessary for any work of 
severity to be done, he was not the man to flinch. 
Among the many peculiar things in his history 
we may mention some narrow escapes and ad- 
ventures, when there seemed but a step between 
him and death. " Once barely escaping freezing, 
having fallen into the water on a very cold day, 
and having miles to go before he could reach a 
house. At two different times it was thought 
he must die with fever. His life was despaired 
of when he had the measles; and he was once 
thrown from a carriage and his neck nearly bro- 
ken. At the age of 18 he had an encounter with 
a cross bull, which so well sets forth his physical 
powers, and so well proves that the Dustin blood 
was * 'strong blood" even to the fourth genera- 
tion, we are tempted to a discription of it in his^ 
own words. '^I was requested by my employer 
to go to a certain pasture and drive said animal 
to the bars, I had heard by the by, that he was 
cross, and drove his owner out of the barn yard 
only a few days before. 

I did not wish to discover cowardice; so not a 
word was to be said, but out into the large pas- 
ture I went in pursuit of the chap. But, by the 
way, it looked proper enough to furnish myself 



AND DARING DEEDS. 5S 

with a tough beech sprout about six feet long. 
I thought it best to go at him as one having au- 
thority. At first he seemed to consider me so^ 
and started off very peaceably; but suddenly, a& 
we were rising a steep bank, he whirled and 
came at me with great fury. I voided out of his 
way, and flew to a large clump of bass bushes 
that surrounded a great stump. 

Eound the bushes, I went, and he after me, 
on the clean jump. I soon overtook him, and 
put on the cudgel the whole length of his back. 
Then he whirled again after me, and I after him^ 
and as often as I overtook him he took six feet 
of beech . In this way I played circus till my an- 
tagonist gave a frightful roar, and took off for 
the bars. I was still at his heels laying on the 
beech, till I saw the battle was won. 

That was a terrible fight! It was both furious 
and long; I was very warm and rather short for 
breath; and as for curl-head, if he did not puff 
and blow and sweat, no matter. 

Moses was at this tine a healthy and powerful 
man, stood six feet and an inch in his boots, broad 
shouldered, with long and strong arms. Morever 
he was not only strong, but remarkable quick^ 
and could leap a line that he could walk erectly 
under with his hat on. 



54: THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Moses when a child, was a weakly boy; kept 
in doors pretty much in childhood. He sat on 
the split basswood floor by the side of his moth- 
er, and learned to read of her while she spun 
linen. Their library consisted of the English 
Primer, Watts' Psalms and the Bible. The first 
he committed to memory and much of the New 
Testament, which he retained through life. 

The family was emphatically poor. Moses 
never had clothes proper to wear from home till 
after he was thirteen. That spring, in imitation 
of his father and brother who were making sug- 
ar, he split troughs and dug them out, tapped 
several trees, obtained sap, and after the others 
were done boiling and retired to rest, then he 
could have the kettles, and in the dead hours of 
the night he boiled his sap, and alone, 

He made wooden "clappers" for shoes, drove 
nails through the bottoms to keep them from 
slipping on the crust, and with some rags wound 
about his feet for stockings and the clappers on, 
he was able to brush about and do his work. 
With his sugar he bought 8 yards of tow cloth, 
which was colored black with white maple bark, 
all but enough for a shirt,which was bleached as 
white as snow, and made up by his mother, who 
also made his whole suit; and when it was com- 



AND DARINa DEEDS. 55 

pleted he put it on, and went into the field to 
show his father and Daniel. When his father 
saw him coming he exclaimed. ^ 'There comes 
our clergyman; see there, Daniel, I guess our 
Moses will make a minister." It is to be borne 
in mind that only the clergymen wore black in 
those days. When a small boy, he went out 
to carry his father's dinner to him where he was 
felling trees. He had arranged a "drove" of 
trees, so that by starting one, they would all go 
down. He did not see his boy approaching, un- 
til the trees had started. In an instant he cried 
out. ''Eun Moses!" but Moses had no time to 
run. He was close to a large hemlock, when 
he saw his danger, and he dropping between 
two large roots that had grown in such a way 
as to leave a cavity just large enough to receive 
him. The thick limbs fell all round about and 
over him. His father shrieked. ''I have killed 
my boy! I've killed my boy," but Moses was not 
hurt. His father cut away the limbs and took 
him out, and was so much affected, "he went 
home, related the story to the family and went 
to bed. 



56 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Once in the absence of a legitimate goverment 
in Pownal, a committee of 'Tublic Safety" was 
appointed, whose duty it was to adjust points 
of differences as might from time to time arise 
among the people, and also to superintend the 
police of town. This committee, although o- 
riginally calculated to meet present exigency, 
but soon became an indispensible branch of the 
town goverment. Its members, three in num- 
ber, possessed almost absolute power, their de- 
cisions, although generally just and impartial, yet 
they were occasionally tinctured with caprice 
and favoritism. 

A complaint was then whispered about that 
they always decided in favor of the plantiff , and 
unless they improved their style of deciding, a 
new board should be appointed. It is said that 
embarrassed by such slanderous reports, and in- 
timidated by these threats, a consultation was 
lield and a new method of proceedure adopted. 

It was determined that future decisons should 
be rendered in favor of the defendent. 

Stimulated by these deliberations the first 
application of this new rule incurred a novel dif- 
ficulty. The case was this. A man was arrang- 
ed for stealing a harrow. The day of trial came; 
witnesses were present ; the court opened when 



AND DAEINa DEEDS. 57 

the defendent unexpectedly plead guilty to the 
offence, with the explanation that his intention 
was only to use the harrow, and to return it be- 
fore the owner had occasion to use it. Here 
appeared a perplexing question. 

How could they favor the defendent? He had 
admitted the theft without compulsion. How- 
ever, after some deliberation they agreed upon 
a decision remarkable for its ingenuity and jus- 
tice. It was decided that the defendent should 
return the harrow and pay for the use of it, 
while the plaintiff should pay the court because 

he had neglected to prove his charge. 
• — ^ — • 

Now in those days certain parts of the town 
were famous for rattlesnakes. Among the high 
and frowning cliffs, which skirt the river near 
the manufacturing village of North Pownal, 
-were the chosen reudervous of these dangerous 
pests. Here they wintered and at early spring 
slipping forth from their dens, scatterd themsel- 
ves about the neighboring fields. A capacious 
^ 'SNAKE story" survived the final extermination 
of these reptiles. Benona Hudson, upon one au- 
tumn morning, seeing a large rattlesnake cross 
the river from its western banks, roll itself in the 
sand, and hasten toward the rocks ; Hudson f ol- 



58 THEILLING ADVENTURES 

lowed close after and watched him as he entered 
his den. He at once proceeded to cut a short 
walnut cudgel and a short pole, with which he 
quickly invaded the sturing retreat of the snake. 
Forthwith there was a hissing and promiscous 
crawling forth. Rapidly the blows decended 
and all were dispatched, as fast as they would 
come out. Upon counting he found eighty 
seven. Thus much says tradition; but it does 
not add, as did the Mississippian, who told of 
killing four cords and a half of black snakes be- 
tween sunrise and sunset, and it was not called 
then a good snake day either. For it did not 
involve any question of law. 

A WARNING. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 



I was drinking one night as I sat in the den. 

With some friends that I'd long wished to see: 
We drank to the good health of each other then^ 

'Till I found myself drunk as could be. 
My mind soon left me, my strength too was gone, 

And in darkness I naught then could see; 
And I tumbled around till at length I fell down^ 

Then and there did I have my last spree. 



A WAENING CON., 59 



I was thinking would any one care now to know, 

How I spent that last night in the dive; 
A friend picked me up then, and out did we go, 

Or I might not now still be alive; 
And when my drunken spree fully was o'er. 

Through distress I was bent like a bow; 
I found that my watch and my wallet were gone, 

And 'twas lucky my life didn't go. 

I've drank my last glass, and my mind is clear. 

No more shameful rum drinking for me; 
My chains are all brok'n and I've naught to fear. 

For the Lord hast in love set me free. 
At home now they all dwell in safety and peace, 

I'm not crazed with strong drink anymore; 
And as friends call to see me, need not to cease. 

Singing praises to God we adore. 

Keep out. Keep out of the rum shop, young man. 

Keep out of the rum drinkers room. 
Keep the honor you have, and earn all you can, 

And thus joy bring to parents and home. 
Now you have encountered some duties in hfe, 

With prospects so bright full in view; 
Your lot will be blessed in your dutiful strife. 

So long as you are sober and true. 



60 A WARNING CON., 

The greatest wretchedness, which human na- 
ture in this world is called to indure is connected 
with the use of inebriating drinks. 

There is nothing else that degrades and debas- 
es man like it- nothing so mean that a drunkard 
will not stoop to it- nothing too base for him to 
do to obtain his favorite drink. Nothing else 
sinks the whole man-so completely, and destroys 
not only all moral principles, but all self-respect, 
all regard to character, all shame, all human feel- 
ing. The drunkard can break out from every 
kind of restraint so completely extinct is human 
feelings, that he can be drunk at the funeral of 
his dearest relative, and call for drinks in the 
last accents of expiring nature. 

Now look at a hunan being, whom God has 
made for noble purposes and endowed with no- 
ble faculties- degraded disgraced, polluted, unfit 
for heaven, and a nuisance on earth. He is the 
centre of a circle- count up his influence in his 
family and his neighborhood- the wretchedness 
he endures, and the wretchedness he causes — 
count up the tears of a mother, or of a wi'etched 
wife who curses the day of her espousal, and of 
wretched children who curse the day of their 
birth . To all this positive evil which intoxicat- 
ing liquor has caused; add the happiness which 



A WAENING CON., 61 

l3ut for it his family might have enjoyed, and 

communicated . Go through a neighborhood or 

a town in this way, count up all the misery 

which follows in the train of intoxicating liquor, 

and you will be ready to ask, can the regions of 

eternal death send forth any thing more deadly? 

Wherever he goes the same cry may be 

heard- lamentation — mourning, and woe; and 

whatever things are pure, or venerable, or oi 

good report, fall before it, while it can justly be 

said, if there ever was any business in this world 

which the Devil has the right to call his own 

it is the rum business. 

* * * * 
More rum, more rum, 'tis Satan's cry, 

His pathway is darkness and shame; 

He never loves virtue, he lives on vice, 

And would gladly ruin your name. 

:fc :jc HJ sfJ 

A sober man is the best man, 

For rum he will not drink; 
And in the busy time of life 

He stops in love to think. 
His home is blest with plenty, 

No rum can make him fall; 
His fam'ly's taught to hate that, 

Which ruins mind and soul. 



62 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Gen. WHITNEY of whom it was said, soon 
after he moved to Addison, had what was then 
called the lake fever, it was while he lived on 
the Kellogg farm. He was taken very sick — 
pulse bounding, eyes bloodshot and staring from 
their sockets, the blood coursing thro' his vein& 
like liquid fire. The doctor was sent for — on 
arriving, ordered every window and door closed, 
although it was in the hottest of dog days- cold 
water was forbidden, Tvarm drinks ordered. 

Thus days and nights of intolerable suffering, 
went by, and when he begged for just one drop 
of water, it was denied. One night two neigh- 
bors, weary and tired from harvest field, came in 
to watch through the night. One of them soon 
dropped off to sleep; the other, more enduring, 
still kept watch. At midnight, after giving the 
General his medicine, he brought in a pail of wa- 
ter, fresh from the well. How quick the rich 
man would have given the wealth of the Indies 
for one draught of that sparkling water. Could 
he not by stratagem secure it? He feigned sleep; 
and the tired man fixing himself as comfortable 
as possible, was soon in sound sleep. Whitney 
now crawled from the bed and made his way to 
the pail. With what eagerness he clutched the 
cup and drained it, draught after draught. He 



AND DARING DEEDS. 63 

then wished he could breath a little fresh air, it 
was so stifling where he was. The watchers 
still a sleep; he opened the door. How still and 
quiet every thing in the moonlight. The dew 
on the grass sparkling like diamonds — the chirp 
of the cricket alone broke the silence. 

How delicious was the night- wind, as it fan- 
ned his fevered cheek and burning brow. The 
idea of escape from his prison, as he regarded it, 
presented itself, and quietly he started crossing 
the road into the meadow, and there plunging 
down amid the tall wet grass he clapped his 
hands for joy, as he rolled from side to side, 

But now the fever is upon him; the fire is 
quenched, and his strength is gone . He cannot 
rise. The watchers have missed him. They 
shout his name. He tries to answer, but is too 
weak. They find and carry him to the house, 
and in alarm run for the doctor. He does not 
get there until morning. A quiet, refreshing 
sleep has removed all symptoms of fever. 

The doctor would give him pills, but the Gen- 
eral would none of it, and told him that he had 
got a new doctor, old Dame Nature, who seem- 
ed to understand the case altogether the best, 
and he should trust to her. And returning to 
health showed his judgement in choosing. 



64 THE 30th OF MAY. 



Lov'd comrades, we who linger still, 

Mid scenes of toil and care; 
Will now bring forth from field and hill 

Fresh flowers so sweet and fair. 
The time has come when 'neath the sod, 

Full many a heart reposes. 
We'll honor them and serve our God! 

And deck their graves with roses. 

Each year we will still come to meet 

With them in true communion. 
And all those present proudly greet 

These heroes of our Union. 
Our ranks grow less as day by day 

Each deed receives new luster. 
Ere long each man who met the gray 

Will pass his final muster. 

Now every loyal freeman true 

Will love your valor ever. 
And write the names that honor you 

Where time can blot them never. 
Our flag to Heaven e'er shall wave. 

With love in song and story, 
Until we leave each earthly grave, 

When the roll is called in glory. 



THE 30th OF MAY CON., 65 

Our brave and gallant Soldier Boys 

Who now have passed away! 
In love we cover o'er their graves 

With the choicest flowers of May. 
Their crowns are made of shining light, 

Their homes are built up on high, 
Immortal is their glorious fight, 

And we'll join them bye and bye. 

DARING DEEDS 



One time Gens. Strong and Smalley were 
crossing the lake in a canoe, when near Sandy 
Point, they saw something swimming in the wa- 
ter, which they at once supposed to be a deer, 
and gave chase . As they drew near, they found 
instead of a deer, it was an enormous black bear 
that they were pursuing. This was a different 
affair, and a consultation was held. They had 
nothing but an ax with them, but they had too 
much pluck to back out, so it was planned that 
Smalley was to get in the wake of the bear, 
run the canoe bow on, while Strong, standing in 
the bow with the ax, would then knock Bruin 
on the head. Smalley brought the boat up in 
good style, and Strong, with all the force of a 
man used to felling the giant trees of the forest 



66 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

struck the bear full on the head. The bear 
minded it no more than if it had been a walking 
stick instead of an axe, he then instantly turned, 
and placed both fore paws on the side of the 
boat and upset it, turning both into the lake. 

The bear then crawled up on to the bottom of 
the boat, and took possession, and quietly seating 
himself, looking on with great gravity, whilst 
the men were floundering in the water. 

Smalley, who was not a very good swimmer, 
seeing the bear so quiet, thought he might hold 
on to one end of the boat, until it should float 
ashore: but no. Bruin would have none of their 
company, and they were obliged, each with an 
oar under his arm to sustain him, to make the 
best of their way to Sandy Point, the nearest 
shore. From here they had to go around the 
head of BuUwaggy Bay, and north as far as 
Point Henry, where they found their boat, min- 
us their ax and other baggage, and were very 
glad to come off so well. 

One more bear story, and that will do. One 
fall the bears were making distructive work in 
the General's corn field; he found where they 
came in, and placed his trap in their road. 

The second morning he found his trap gone, 
and plenty of signs that a large bear had taken 



AND DARING DEEDS. 6T 

it; he got two of his neighbors, Kellogg and Pan- 
born, to go with him. They had two guns, an 
axe, and three dogs. 

After following the track for some two miles 
they heard the dogs, and as they came up they 
found the bear with her back against a large 
stub, cuffing the dogs whenever they came with- 
in reach. The trap was on one of her hind legs. 
Kellogg proposed to shoot the bear, but Strong 
said he could kill her with the ax as well as to 
waste a charge of ammunition, which was scarce 
and difficult to obtain. So taking the axe, and 
remembering his encounter on the lake, he turn- 
ed the bit, or blade of the ax, intending to split 
her head open. 

He approached cautiously, and when near e- 
nough, gave the blow with tremendous force, 
but the bear with all the skill of a practised box- 
er, caught the ax as it was descending, with 
one of her paws knocking it out of his hands, at 
the same time catching him with the other, she 
drew him up for the death-hug; as she did so en- 
deavoring to grab his throat in her mouth. One 
moment more, and he would have been a man- 
gled corpse. The first effort he avoided by ben- 
ding his head close upon his breast; the second, 
by thrusting his left hand into her open mouth 



68 THRILLING AD VENTURES 

and down her throat, until he could hook the 
ends of his fingers into the roots of her tongue. 

This hold he kept until the end, although ev- 
ery time the bear closed her mouth his thumb 
was crushed and ground between her grinders, 
her mouth being so narrow that it was impossi- 
ble to keep it out of the way. 

He now called on Kellogg for God's sake to 
shoot the bear, but this he dared not do, for fear 
of shooting Strong, for as soon as he got the 
bear by the tongue, she endeavored to get rid of 
him by plunging and rolling about, so that one 
moment the bear was on top, and next Strong. 

In these struggles they came to where the ax 
had been thrown at first. 

Strong seized the ax with his right hand, and 
striking the bear in the small of the back sever- 
ed it at a blow. This so paralyzed her that she 
loosened her hug, then he snatched his hand 
from her mouth, and soon cleared himself from 
her reach. The men then dispatched her with 
their guns. His mutilated thumb he carried as 
a memento of the fight, to his dying day. 

* * * * 

In the faU of 1775 Mr. Strong was captured by 
the British: they took him to Ticonderoga, where 
he remained three weeks. Mrs. Strong, expect • 



AND DARING DEEDS. 69 

ing he would be sent to Quebec, that she might 
again see her husband before his departure, shut 
up her two little children alone in their cabin. 

Bidding the elder, who was but four years old, 
to take good care of the baby till mother came 
back, who was going to take poor papa his 
clothes, she went in a canoe to carry them, a dis- 
tance of 12 miles, accompanied only by her 
brother a lad of ten years. After she arrived in 
order to gain admittance to her husband, she 
must remain over night. 

The mother sadly thought of her babes alone 
in the cottage in the woods through all the long 
night ; but could she turn from the door of her 
husband's prison, and perhaps see him no more. 

No ! her babes the tender mother committed, in 
her heart, to the God Father, and tarried till the 
morning; and upon her return found her little 
children safe, the elder having understood e- 
nough of her directions to feed and take care of 

the younger. 

* * * * 
On one occasion during the Revolutionary War 

when soldiers were drafted in Barnet, the lot fell 
on George Gibson, a man of small stature who 
said he would join the army, adding. ''Who 
knows but I may be the means of establishing 



ro THRILLING ADVENTURES 

the independence of the United States? CoL 
Harvey observed that he never knew a means so 
SMALL to produce an effect so great. 

A member of the Legislator, vrho was a great 
hero and patriot boasting of his mother and six 
brothers, triumphantly asked the company if 
ever they heard of such a mother having seven 
such sons. Col. Harvey replied he read of a wo- 
man who had seven such sons, and what was 
very remarkable they were all born at one birth! 
''Who was she?" asked the hero. Mary Mag- 
dalene, " replied the Col. ''who was delivered of 
seven devils all at one time!" 



MY CHILDHOOD'S PICTURE. 

_ ♦ » ♦ ♦ » 

How my childhood fancy lingers, 

Over scenes I once did view. 
When I sought the fields for pleasure, 

With my playmates kind and true. 
Fond mem'ry now carries me back, 

O'er pleasures my heart did thrill; 
From all those happy days we part, 

But I love them truly still. 



MY CHILDHOOD'S PICTURE. Yl 

On the hills oft times I'd wander, 

And upon the rocks would climb, 
For to view the verdant valley 

Where the flowers bright would shine; 
And then I'd chase the butterfly 

Way over the hills to play, 
Where the birds in all their beauty. 

There did sing so pleasantly. 

In the summer sunshine glitter, 

Near the water I would play, 
On the bank of that lone river, 

Pleasant hours soon passed away; 
All those scenes inspire my nature, 

And thy '11 thrill my heart for aye; 
This song is my Childhood's picture 

And through joy can truly say. 
refrain". 
. Often now I look o'er the landscape 

Where the flowers in Autumn droop, 
And listen to hear the little birds sing 

In the valley down by the brook: 
It's there my thought's revive anew 

It's there the clouds pass away, 
In rai)ture then, for hours I view, 

In the Autumn sunshine day. 



72 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

In 1792 Peter Page built a rude log shanty in 
Hardwick, about three-quarters of a mile south 
of the present village of East Hardwick. 

His shanty was full half mile from the Hazen 
road, and the snow was very deep when he mov- 
ed his family, and when near as he could go by 
the road he put on his snow-shoes, and with a 
sled made for that purpose, conveyed his wife, 
and three children to their new home, and then 
returned for his goods. 

They lived some time in this rude hovel without 
floor or chimney, building their fire at one side 
with a hole made in the roof for the smoke to es- 
cape. Mr. Page's wardrobe during that winter, 
is said to have consisted of one pair of tow pant- 
aloons, one tow frock, two shirts, woolen socks 
and a woolen vest . 

He brought all the provisions for himself and 
family on his back, either from Peacham 20 
miles distant, or from Cabot, 8 miles. His fam- 
ily suffered much the first few years in their 
new home. Their only cow strayed away, and 
when Mr . P- found her she was ten miles from 
home. She had been away so long she gave no 
milk. The man who kept her awhile demanded 
pay, and the only woolen garment, the vest, was 
all he could give to redeem her. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 73 

Water gruel was substituted for milk, and was 
sometimes their only sustenance. Other set- 
tlers had a hard time, as well as they. In the 
spring of the following year, Mark and David, 
Norris, who were cousins, supplied themselves 
with provisions sufficient, as they supposed, to 
last them through the spring's work. Then 
they were to return back to Peacham, which 
was several miles away. 

They had no such thing as a team or even a 
hoe to work with; but with their axes they 
hewed out wooden hoe-blades from maple blocks, 
hardened them in the fire, and took saplings for 
handles. With these they hoed in two acres of 
wheat; when Saturday night came, they had 
one acre hoed in and provisions enough to last 
but one day longer. 

What should they do? Neither of them were 
professors of religion, but they had been trained 
to keep the Sabbath day; however they con- 
cluded that it was a work of necessity, and hoed 
in the second acre on the Sabbath. ^'We shall 
see, said Mark to David," whether this acre will 
not yeald as well as the other. David was some- 
what troubled in conscience. Reaping time 
came ; the proceeds of the two acres were stack- 
ed separately, and the time for comparing drew 



74 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

near. But the comparison was never made. 
The stack which came of the Sabbath day^s work 
took fire while clearing up some land near by, 
and every straw and kernel was burned. 

In closing this account which plainly shows 
how things will sometime happen, I may men- 
tion the wisdom of Mrs. Whipple, wife of the late 
Francis Whipple. She was a woman of superior 
mind, and a mother in Israel, beloved by all, 
young and old. 

She possessed a great fund of cheerfulness, 
and was often very shrewd. A fanatical minis- 
ter once called and said. '^You sometimes en- 
tertain ministers." ^'Yes, if they have a recom- 
mendation." ^'And what would you say at one 
from Heaven?"-^ 'Go straight back, 'tis a poor 
country here for such a man!" 

An aged man once asked her to become his 
wife. In answer- ''Why, Mr.B- we are noth- 
ing but old children. You have one foot in the 
grave, the other wiU be there soon. You had 
better go home, read your Bible, and prepare to 
die, than to be here on such an errand!" 

She was very industrious; and some of her last 
work was spinning lining for a web. ' 'Grandma 
is coming, "has been echoed from many a child's 
glad heart. 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 75 

At Monkton, during the Kevolution, John 
Bishop, with several sons, and Mr. Eben Stearns 
were captured by Tories and Indians and taken 
to Canada; and the settlement was broken up till 
after the war. Tradition says Bishop had some 
wheat stacks to which the Indians were about 
to set fire, when Mrs. Bishop, knowing them to 
be her main dependance, appeared with hot wa- 
ter, which she threw so vigorously that the Ind- 
ians, admiring her courage, spared the stacks. 

Bishop was noted for his eccentricity, for in- 
stance: when any one came to the marsh near 
where he lived to pick cranberries, he always 
demanded some portion, for the reason that 
he brought the seed with him from — New 
Medford. He also demanded a share of all the 
fish in an adjacent pond, as he had brought the 
original stock from the same place, in a leather 
bag, supplying fresh water from time to time. 
This story used to make his neighbors smile — 

A short distance south of Monkton Borough 
are some rocks, called the Tory rocks, where a 
small party of Tories were captured during the 
Eevolution,by a less number of early settlers by 
stratagem. The early settlers of Monkton were 
men more noted for their physical strength and 
endurance than for mental culture or refine- 



76 THKILLING ADVENTUEES 

ment. Yet they were not without those who 
sometime tried their luck and skill at writing 
compositions. The following poetical specimen 
is from the pen of one of those primative and 
untaught bards, Ebenezer Finney. 



When men rejoiced in days of yore 
That stamp-act should appear no more, 

They fired their pump instead of cannon 
And shook the very earth we stand on, 

But later years, more full of glory. 
Since Whigs has fairly conquered Tory. 

Pump guns are thrown by in disgrace, 
And iron stationed in their place. 

The great heroes of a certain town, 
To please themselves and gain renown; 
A cannon made, without a blunder, 
To send forth home made peals of thunder. 

Never have such reports been given. 
Since Satan cannonaded heaven: 
This gun without dispute we know 
Was fired from Monkton to North Hero. 
How stiring are these sons of Mars; 
They shout for joy, and bless their stars; 
But oh, how transient is their fun! 
They load too deep, and split their gun. 
Earth, at the blast, turns shaking Quaker; 
Boys cursed the cannon and its maker, 



AND DARING DEEDS. 77 

What havoc made 'mongst ducks and hens; 
The pigs ran frightened round their pens; 

Young puppies set up hideous yells, 
While goslins perished in their shells; 

Then all the hosts that could keep cool, 
Wondered if there was another fool. 

SUNLIGHT SETTING. 
» » ♦ ♦ ♦ 

When the sparkling sunlight setting 

Brings on evening shadows dim, 
Then we view the golden netting 

While it twinkles o'er the glen. 
Lovely shades of green and yellow 

Will glide over on the hill, 
Where the night birds from the hollow 

Are saying, whip-por- will will will. 

When our nature seeks for beauty 

Thro' the work that is sublime. 
Then we cherish faith with duty 

And engraft the lovely time. 
There is beauty in the sunset. 

There is joy that always thrills, 
Wind on water roUs the white caps 

And the snow will cover the hiUs. 



78 THE EAVAGES OF TIME 

It is only by recurring to the chronicles of the 
past that we are able to arrive at any apprecia- 
tion of the ravages of time. When we ascer- 
tain that the many things which were, are not; 
that they withered at the touch of time, and were 
hurled into the dark chasm of forgetfulness. 

History reverts to the scenes of other times. 
We review the catalogue of many names per- 
petuated in prose and song; we trace the lines 
of those who bore them, from their youth up- 
ward ;we mark the struggles through which they 
passed, the numerous obstacles encountered, the 
many trials undergone for the emancipation of 
our country from hostile hands ; and as we muse 
we wonder through the lapse of ages and hold 
communion with those *gr eat and good patriots 
of the past. 

We stand upon the battle field; we see the 
clashing steel; we hear the roar of the booming 
cannon, the death groans of the victim fallen. 
We pause. This is only the kindling of imagin- 
ation over the records of the past; we can only 
regret the great, the good, the noble should thus 
have passed away. 

The dilapidated walls of architecture, the rust- 
ing sword on the cold floor of antiquity, the 
mouldering bones of the ancient warrior, all e- 



THE RAVAGES OF TIME 79 

vince an invisable power whose mission is to de- 
stroy. Where are the champions who fought in 
defence of the word of God, and caused its sacred 
light to shine and penetrate the darkest recesses 
of superstition? Where those noble martyrs 
who suffered for the propagation of the truth — 
who removed the mark that enveloped the face 
of Christendom, and caused the true light to 
shine forth mid the gloom of darkness? Where 
those brave pioneers of the sixteenth century, 
who caused the city of seven hills to totter upon 
its foundation; and who removed the briers and 
brambles from the path of Christianity, and 
planted instead the seed of piety, purity, and 
truth? 

Their deeds are recorded on the tablets of his- 
tory, their names have become emmortalized by 
being linked with the greatest struggles in the 
world. Yes, they are gone- gone to the charnel 
house of time. Where is the wild uncultivated 
race that once traversed our hills and vales un- 
mindful of the rich soil beneath their feet? 

The hand of civilization, and children of educa- 
tion have usurped the abode of ignorance, and 
inculcated the moral principles of civilized life. 
Time, indeed has made sad havoc of that strong 
■and noble, unculivated race. 



80 THE OLD OLD HOME. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

I often think of the old, old home, 

And the smiles that greeted me there; 
And of all the friends I used to know 

When I was young and life was fair . 
Shall I ever enter the old, old home. 

And lift the old latch of the door? 
And look all thro' those dear old rooms,. 

Where I played in the days of yore. 

Shall I ever walk the green paths o'er, 
Where mother's flowers did bloom? 

And list to the happy birds that sing- 
Where the roses have plenty of room.. 

Those days so happy in childhood's life,. 
Are ingrafted on memory's wall; 

I will not try to make them bright, 
For they can never fade at all. 

Should I go back to the old, old home, 

Would it bring any pleasure to me? 
Would it inspire hope, or change my tho't. 

Or cause me sorrowful to be? 
Oh, I may go back to the old, old home. 

But who could I expect to see? 
My dearest friends have passed away. 

And no one is there who loves me. 



THE OLD OLD HOME CON., 81 

My childhood days at the old old home, 
Will never more come back to me; 

My faulty steps must feebler grow. 
While I'm trav'ling to eternity. 

Now fare-thee-well, to the long ago. 
Those years have vanished away! 

But the old old home, bright and fair, 

Still is clinging to my mem'ry. 
• — ^ — • 

DAEING DEEDS. 

Indians caused more fear than wild beasts 
among the early settlers, especially after the 
commencement of the Revolutionary struggle. 
Although through the policy of some of the lead- 
ing men of the Grants, the British had been in- 
duced to treat the settlers on the east side of the 
lake [Vermont] with mildness, and had forbidden 
the Indians to molest them, yet their savageness 
was ready to burst forth on the slightest provo- 
cation. So much was this the case, that if a 
party of Indians made their appearance when 
the men were absent the women allowed them 
to help themselves to whatever they liked . 

At one time a party came in when Mrs. 
Strong was alone. They first took the cream 
from the milk and rubbed it on their faces; then 



82 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

rubbing soot on their hands, painted themselves 
in all the hideousness of the war-paint, and sang 
the war-songs with whoop and dance. 

Just as they were leaving, one of them discov- 
ered a showy colored short gown, that her hus- 
band had just made her a birthday present of. 
This he took, and putting it on, seemed greatly 
delighted, and with yells and whoops they de- 
parted. She had a place between the frame of 
the house and the chimney where she used to 
hide her babe when the Indians were seen about. 

A barrel of sour milk was kept, where a set of 
pewter dishes (a rare thing at the time) was, as 
soon as used, put for security. 

One day an Indian came in and saw a small 
plate, which he took, and making a hole through 
it, put it on a string and wore it off as an orna- 
ment. They would sometimes, when hungry, 
kill a hog or beef. 

The following will show that their fears were 
not groundless — One morning in June, just 
when the sky takes on that peculiar hue that 
gave it the name, ' 'gray of the morning. " Mrs. 
Strong arose and went to the spring a few rods 
from the house, near the bank of the lake. 

The birds had just commenced their morning 
matins making ' 'woodland and lea" vocal with 



AND DAKING DEEDS. 83 

song. The air was laden with the perfume of 
the wild flowers. Not a breath stirred a leaf or 
ruffled the glass-like surface on the water of the 
lake. She stopped a moment to enjoy it. And 
as she stood listening to the songs of the birds, 
she thought she heard the dip of a paddle in the 
water, and looking through the trees that fring- 
ed the bank, she saw a canoe filled with Indians. 

In a moment more the boat passed the trees 
in full view. A pole was fastened upright in 
the bow, on the top of which was the scalp of a 
little girl ten years old, her flaxen ringlets just 
stirred in the morning air, while streams of clot- 
ted blood all down the pole showed it was placed 
there whilst yet warm and bleeding. 

Wildest horror froze her to the spot, she tho't 
she recognized it as the hair of a beautiful child 
of a dear friend of hers, living on the other side 
of the lake. She saw other scalps attached to 
their waist-belt, whilst two other canoes, farther 
out in the lake, each had the terrible signal at 
their bows. The Indians on seeing her, gave 
the war-whoop, and made signals as though they 
would scalp her. She fled to the house. That 
day brought tidings that their friends six in 
number on the other side had aU been massacred 
and scalped, and their houses burned. 



84 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Among the many heroic and daring deeds wor- 
thy of particular notice is that related of Mrs. 
Mary Lamb. While residing in Granville with 
her son William, at the age of 84. Mrs. Lamb 
had charge of the domestic affairs and of the 
children in the absence of their parents. 

One morning she heard a terrific scream in 
the dooryard, and on looking out saw a large 
catamount making an onslaught upon the poult- 
ry. On opening the door the dog rushed out, 
and a fearful encounter followed. 

The dog finding himself unable to grapple 
successfully with his antagonist, fled into the 
house, followed by the catamount. Fear for the 
safety of the terrified children nerved the strong 
arm of grandmother to desperation. She seiz- 
ed the large iron poker, and then bravely gave a 
heavy well-directed blow across the animals 
back, which paralized him, a few more blows 
killed him. The dog died soon after from the 
effects of wounds received in the contest. 

* * * * 

Capt. John Barney, one of the early pioneers 
built the second public house of entertainment 
on the plains of St. Johnsbury, Vt. 

This house he kept for many years, and as 
it was customary in those days, it had a bar 



AND DARING DEEDS. 85 

but when the temperance cause awoke, he came 
forth hke the bannered hosts from the wilder- 
ness, and was one of the first to enUst in the 
great moral reform, and stood ever afterward 
by the sacred standard. 

Later years his daughter wrote. *'I well re- 
member hearing my parents relate various in- 
cidents connected with their early life, their hab- 
its of living, social, moral and physical. 

True, I find as I dwell upon them, none of the 
superfluities and elegancies of life that consti- 
tute the luxuries of the present, but 1 find in- 
stead, a homely but hearty sufficiency with fru- 
gality and cleanliness withal, and a home though 
rude yet ever appreciated in love." A character- 
istic picture of their sociability was the winter 
evening visits. Some long and pleasant Decem- 
ber or January evenings the noble yoke of oxen 
were 'whoa'd' and ^gee'd' to the kitchen door, 
hitched to the sled, and the first family started ; 
calling for the next family, and the next on the 
way, till the last family on the road joined the 
happy party. 

Arrived at their destination — as our old fash- 
ioned surprise party came steadily up to the log 
mansion, and shaking off their buffalo of hay, 
the sleds were unloaded upon the great stone 



80 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

door steps- the welcoming and greetings were 
sometimes so hearty as to be almost deafening. 

The well-fatted turkey must be prepared for 
the sit, and pies and pudding well flavored, were 
soon in a baking- Meanwhile a mug of hot slip 
came not amis, after a cold ride of 8 or 10 miles. 

A good supper, joviality and sincere good will 
crowned the hour. 

I must in closing say a few words relative to 
my father's christian profession and the family 
alter, where prayer went up daily, from a heart 
overflowing with joy. Even now I seem to hear 
the kindness that lingered in his voice as he re- 
proved our childish follies, or see the patient, 
beaming smile, as he encouraged our feeble ef- 
forts to do the right. 

Thus a saintly father's influence still shines 
out sweetly and clear upon the path of his child, 
guiding on like a beacon star to right purposes. 
It's an inestimable blessing to have such a father. 

BEAUTIFUL HOME. 

♦ » ♦ ♦ » — 

Beautiful home in Heaven for me, 

Never a street where darkness can be; 
There o'er the countless ages of time, 

Kingdom of love, forever will shine. 



THANKS-GIVING EVE. 87 



On a low couch lay a sick girl, 

In a poor and humble home, 
And by the restless sufferer 

The lonely mother sat alone. 
'Twas the day before Thanks giving. 

The house was cold and drear; 
"Without, the fall winds whistled, 

Within was naught to cheer. 

The sick girl moaned in anguish. 

Then opened her lips and spoke, 
It touched the heart of her mama 

As though it was a saber's stroke. 
^'Mama, to-morrow's Thanks giving. 

What can we be thankful for 
While we suffer in sickness and sorrow, 

And papa has gone to the war? 

Our money's gone, we're friendless 

In this great town all alone. 
Oh, why did dear papa leave us?" 

The sick girl then sadly moaned . 
**Your papa thought best to leave us 

To answer his country's call. 
We hoped the war would be over 

And he would be home this fall." 



88 THANKSGIVING EVE, CON. 

' 'I know we are destitute darling, 

I know that our money is gone, 
But I hope to have work to-morrow, 

You know I am well and strong, 
And soon we shall hear from papa. 

He'll send us money no doubt, 
We will then pay up the landlord 

And he will not turn us out." 

Thus cheerfully spoke the mother, 

Although with a heavy heart, 
She tried to soothe her daughter 

And cheerfully do her part; 
Hark, hark! the hall door opens, 

''Dear papa! "the daughter calls, 
Then in the arms of a soldier brave 

Fainting, the true mother falls. 

Then his story told of capture, 

And suffering in prison pen. 
Of exchange, release and furlough, 

And away to his loved ones then. 
For bravery had come promotion, 

As his uniform plainly told; 
Then his wife and daughter lovely, 

Smiled upon the soldier bold. 



THANKSGIVINa EVE. 89 

Their sorrow turned to gladness, 

The family was united again, 
And the mother felt that her prayers 

For help, had not been in vain. 
Thanksgiving day was delightful, 

The daughter felt well once more, 
Each thought a better thanksgiving 

They never had known before. 
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

DARING DEEDS. 

lu 1784 Capt. Charles Sias, moved his family 
and effects from Peacham to Danville on a hand- 
sled. His family consisted of 10 children, seven 
sons and three daughters. The father with four 
sons and three daughters made the first compa- 
ny. Then with two men to assist, went forward 
on snow-shoes, and drew the sled. They reached 
their log cabin early in the afternoon, dug it out 
from beneath the snow, which had nearly buri- 
ed it. Here they left John and his sisters to take 
care of themselves through the night, while the 
others returned to Peacham. 

John was but 11 years old, and was the first 
male child that ever slept in Danville, and Mrs. 
Sias, was the first white woman who dared to 
brave the long and dreary winters in this wild 



90 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

unbroken wilderness. The next day came the 
mother and the other children, on the hand-sled. 
In three days more the effects were all removed 
and the lone family began their hard labors up- 
on the wilderness. 

They commenced by tapping the maples, which 
stood thick arround them. The most beautiful 
groves, aff oading them sugar in abundance, and 
supplied, in a great degree, the lack of some oth- 
er food. Thus was settled the first family in the 
town of Danville. 

It will illustrate the hardships which were en- 
countered by the early settlers if we here put on 
record the narrative of an authentic tradition, 
that at the birth of Israel Putman, his father 
had to draw the midwife six miles over the hills 
and through deep snow, on a hand-sled. 

So exhausting was the labor that stopping to 
rest a moment at the sugar-camp of his neigh- 
bor, Abidah Smith, he sank down insensible and 
Mr. S. went on with the doctoress; thus render- 
ing an important service to his future son-in- 
law; the child then born- who twenty four years 
after became the husband of Sarah Smith. 

For a number of years, the inhabitants lived in 
cabins built of logs, and covered with bark peel- 
ed from spruce and other trees, and were often 



AND DARING DEEDS. 91 

doomed especially for hardship thro' cold winter 
seasons, being poor, they had not the requisite 
means to procure comfortable clothing to screen 
themselves properly from the raging of a north- 
ern climate. Children frequently would be seen 
in winter running barefooted in the snow, and 
otherwise poorly clad, sleeping on straw beds at 
night or the skins of animals. 

Nathaniel Belknap, when 76 years old would 
often say. *^The young folks now a-days could- 
n't begin to stand it as we did. I moved in my 
log house, here in the woods, when there was 
but one board on it and that one I brought from 
New Hampshire." And for weeks after said Mrs. 
Belknap,^'! could lie abed and count the stars." 

* 'Yes, said the old man I have been more than 
a mile beyond Pittsford Village to buy a bushel 
of corn, and when I paid for it, I had to take 5 
pecks, because I could't make change. 

I took it, and started for the mill; and got it 
ground; and then carried it home." ''Yes, said 
Mrs. Belknap, and he should have added he did- 
n't get off the bed the next day." 

He had travelled at least 26 miles that day 
13 with 5 pecks of grain on his back. 

So universal was the practice of working out 
in haying; on one occasion they felt compelled 



92 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

to raise a barn on Sunday, being unable to obtain 
sufficient help to do it on a week day. 

The first settlers were generally obliged to buy 
their grain from the farmers in adjoining towns, 
and some of those were far away. The method 
of transportation was to carry it on their backs. 
And the manner of payment was almost uni- 
versally by day's work, in which they were most 
always rich, and possessed of but little else which 
they could spare. 

On one occasion a farmer was known to trav- 
el three days before he could find a bushel of 
grain that he could buy, while his family was 
in need at home. It was often the case that the 
women would go out to buy necessaries. 

One time, Mrs. Joseph Carlisle, went to her 
brother's and borrowed his horse, and went to the 
village; but before she got home, night came on, 
when neither she or the horse could follow the 
road. She called for help with a will, but this 
«o alarmed her child, she dared not continue to 
call, lest the child cry itself into fits. 

So she sat down on an old log, and held the 
"hoTse by the bridle until morning. When she sat 
down, she wished her father would come and 
help her out of the woods in which she was lost; 
she said, ' 'immediately a bright light stood out 



AND DARING DEEDS. 93 

before her, up a little from the ground." She 

always thought if she had followed it, it would 

have led her out into the right way. Her father 

had been dead for some time. She had sat in 

the woods not more than a half mile from home. 

* * * * 
It's well understood that Elihu Sabin,was the 

first permanent settler in Goshen. A generous 

hearted, worthy man, talented for his day and 

opportunities, in so much that the history of his 

town pictures him as one who had distinguished 

himself for remarkable muscular power. 

Once on a time well verified it is said Sabin 
did face a foe in a single-handed struggle for 
life. It appears that he had caught a cub, whose 
cries brought forward the mother bear robbed 
of her young. 

Elihu unflinchingly smote her with the breech 
of his gun ; the bear was dispatched, and so was 
the breech of Elihu's gun. We have a more de- 
liberate feat with which to crown our point- in 
prodigious strength, a feat of plain practical test, 
of monstrous muscular power. 

A witness testified that he had seen Mr. Sabin 
knock down with one blow of his fist, a two 
year old bullock, striking him between the fore 
shoulders, and breaking a rib. 



94 DON'T GO AWAY TO STAY. 



Out in the cottage where the willows, 

Shade the porch beside the way ; 
An aged couple once were living, 

With their son their only stay. 
His deeds they always had been noble, 

'Till he had planned to go away; 
And leave these poor old feeble people, 

Then I heard his father say — 

Their joy and trials on life's journey. 

All were nearly done and o'er; 
And he knew his father and mother, 

Must soon leave this earthly shore: 
Now in this he may long remember, 

How they in love did plead and pray! 
Just before he kissed his mother. 

At the time he went away. 

Years have past and still he's wander'g 

Far from friends he now doth roam; 
The willow trees that still are shading. 

Stand there weeping o'er that home. 
And all the time thus spent in pleading* 

Has onward pass'd to endless day. 
And they are now beyond life's river, 

Where no voice can ever say — 



DON'T GO AWAY TO STAY, 95 

REFRAIN. 

Don't go away my son, don't go away 

to stay, 
For I'm growing feeble, and soon must 

pass away ; 
Your mother's heart is breaking, 

0! can't you hear her pray? 
Don't go away my son, don't go away 

to stay. 

• — ^ — • 

DARING DEEDS. 

It may be interesting to some to know how 
the people put out fires, many years ago . Most 
all the families owned an instrument familiarly 
called a ''squirt gun" of a large size, through 
which a considerable quantity of water could be 
emitted to any part of a building. 

This was the only engine made use of for ex- 
tinguishing fires in their dwellings ; and it rem- 
inds the writer of a story which he heard related 
a number of years ago. 

At a certain time, Lemual Walter, the first in- 
habitant of the town, was sitting at the table in 
his log cabin, (which had a wooden chimney) at 
noon time, taking his frugal meal, when a stran- 
ger on horseback rode up to his door, and with 
an earnest voice inquired. ''Sir, do you know 
that your house is on fire?" 



96 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

*^Ah, said the owner, well, no matter, I'll see 
to it soon as I finish my dinner." ^'But said the 
stranger, your house will be all in flames before 
that time." *'Be not alarmed sir, said Walter,. 
I am used to fires and have no fear." '^Thank 
you for your trouble." 

<'If you are disposed to stay there and let your 
house burn down over your head," rejoined the 
stranger, *^It is no business of mine." He then 
rode off leaving the owner sitting at the table. 

Soon after Walter deliberately took down his 
SQUIRT-GUN and quickly extinguished the fire. 

The country north of this town for many 
miles, at that time was an unbroken wilderness, 
where moose and deer were found in great num- 
bers. It is the nature of these animals through 
the winter season to herd together in considerable 
number-especially when the snow is very deep, 
which circumstance often greatly facilitated the 
means of taking them. The most hardy of the 
veteran settlers would resort thither on snow- 
shoes as soon as a sufficient depth of snow had 
fallen and surprise and slay them, after dress- 
ing they would select the best part of the flesh 
for food; and carry it home on their backs a dis- 
tance of 7 or 8 miles through the wilderness 

Not unf requently a man would carry a burden 



AND DARING DEEDS. 97 

of 100 lbs. But they soon grew wise by experi- 
ence and furnished themselves with hand sleds 
made expressly for the purpose, the timber was 
made very light, and the runners being 5 or 6 
inches in width which prevented their sinking 
in the snow. On one of these sleds a man would 
draw more than double the quantity that could 
be carried the old way; and the labor was not so 
hard. The same kind of sleds are used by many 
at the present time, and still retain the name of 
MOOSE-SLEDS. Often for weeks the old hunters 
would remain in the woods sleeping by night on 
hemlock boughs for beds, and when in camp a 
house would be made of poles and covered with 
boughs. They subsisted mostly on the product 
obtained, vdth perhaps a little bread and butter 
carried from home. 

The skins of the animals after being partially 
tanned by a process of their own invention, were 
afterwards frequently used for beds in their 
cabins. Whole families of children would sleep 
upon them with as much composure as they 
would on a bed of down. 

Various other means were resorted to at that 
time to obtain the necessary supplies for their 
families. One of these was in making salts 
from wood ashes, which was then plenty. 



98 THE OLD DISTEICT SCHOOL, 



The old District School I remember, 

The brightest of days to review; 
While all loving greetings are telling, 

How friendship in childhood is true. 
I remember the long cold winters, 

Learning lessons in school by rule; 
I know the children then all loved me, 

Down in the old District School. 

The teachers I can well remember, 

Who maintained a whip in school; 
They would occasionally use them, 

In preventing our acting so cool. 
The lessons came on in the morning. 

Then reading and writing by rule, 
I know the value now of learning. 

Taught in the old District School. 

I remember those kind and loving. 

Who would always take my part. 
Some have gone beyond life's river. 

Still their deeds dwell in my heart. 
I now prize those lessons of learning, 

That were taught by the oldest rule; 
I will always cherish my School days, 

Spent in the old District School. 



THE OLD DISTRICT SCHOOL. 99 

I remember the time when parting, 

As in tears I bade them good-by ; 
Never more to meet in the school room, 

But will try to meet them on high. 
I have pondered over hard trials, 

That encountered the golden rule, 
I shall never forget my school mates. 

Once in the old district, school. 



PRAISEWORTHY DOG. 

A shepherd who once lived in the valley near 
the Grampian mountains, in one of his excur- 
sions to look after his flock, thought he would 
take along with him one of his children, an in- 
fant of three years. 

After traversing his pasture for some time, 
attended by his dog, the shepherd found it neces- 
sary to ascend the summit at some distance to 
have a better view of his range. As the ascent 
would be too fatiguing for the child, he left him 
on a small plain at the bottom with strict orders 
not to stir from the place till his return . Scarce- 
ly had he gained the summit when the horizon 
darkened with almost impenetrable mist. 

The anxious father hastened back to find his 
child; but owing to the darkness he missed his 



L.ofC. 



100 PRAISE WOKTY DOGS. 

way in the descent. And after fruitless search 
for hours, he discovered that he had reached 
the bottom of the valley, and was near his own 
cottage. To renew the search that night in such 
darkness would be fruitless ;theref ore he felt com- 
pelled as it were to go home, although he had 
lost both his child and his dog, who had attended 
him faithfully for many years. 

Next morning at break of day with a band of 
his neighbors he renewed the search for his child. 
The day was sadly spent, in anxious searching — 
Night came- from the high-land they descended. 

On reaching home they found that the dog 
which he had lost came home, and on receiving 
a piece of cake he immediately disappeared. 

The search was renewed the next day and on 
returning at night, he found that the dog had 
been home and on receiving his usual allowance 

of cake had disappeared again. 

Struck with this singular circumstance he 
concluded to stay at home the next day and 
watch the dog. As usual he came home got his 
cake and seemed very glad to once more meet 
his worthy master, who then had resolved to fol- 
low him. The dog soon took the cake and start- 
ed back leading the way toward a cataract at 
some distance from the spot where the shepherd 



PRAISEWORTHY DOG. 101 

had left the child. The banks of the cataract 
almost joined at the top, yet separated by an 
abyss of immense depth. Down one of these 
rugged and almost perpendicular descents the 
dog began to make his way and soon disappear- 
ed. But the shepherd with difficulty followed. 
On entering the cave his emotions swayed with 
delight when he beheld his child eating cake 
which the dog had just brought to him . 

From the situation it appeared the child wan- 
dered to the brink, and either fallen or scram- 
bled down till he reached the cave. The dog it 
appears had never left the child night or day ex- 
cept when it was necessary to go for food. 

* * * * 

A number of years ago in the north east cor- 
ner of Newark, lived Calvin Hudson, first settler 
on the east road from Burke line to Brighton, 
which was then only brushed out. 

Here he bought some land and then built a log 
house and moved his family, a wife and 7 chil- 
dren, in the fall. In the winter he made shingles. 
One morning his family being in want of neces- 
saries, he took his knapsack and started for 
Burke. Not being very well, he declined waiting 
for breakfast, and started before the family had 
risen. At Burke he made some purchases, and 



102 PKAISEWORTHY DOGS. 

started for home. A storm came on, and the 
snow fell fast; at Seymour Watson's, last house 
in East Haven, still 5 miles distant he stopped 
to warm again, not to be detained lojig he push- 
ed on homeward. 

Two days after within 40 rods of his home he 
was found frozen by the wayside. Coiled up at 
his feet (the snow melted beneath the devot- 
ed animal), lay his own faithful little dog. 
And after the funeral several days- the family 
having been removed- a visitor who was ac- 
quainted, called at the house and there found this 
same affectionate little creature had stayed and 
crawled beneath the blanket that wrapped the 
body of his dead master before the burial, and it 
was difficult to coax him from the sacred relic. 

LOOKING BACK. 

4 ♦ ♦ ♦ » 



I am looking back to days long past 

When by my mothers side, 
I listened to her counsels then 

I was her joy and pride. 
There brightly was the home lit up, 

And pleasantly she smiled; 
As toil she mix't with pleasure then. 

To guard and teach her child. 



LOOKING BACK, CON. 103 

I cherish now the days long past, 

When with such anxious care, 
My mother knelt in prayer to heav'n, 

Her hope and trust were there. 
The sad time came and parting words, 

When tears o'er-flowed the cheek 
M)^ mother's farewell look told more. 

Than words can ever speak. 

I'm looking back to days long past. 

With old friends I cannot be, 
Who counsel'd me when I was young, 

Their wisdom follows me. 
I've wander'd far since mother's gone. 

Her smiles in rapture,'^! see," 
Her words inspire me ' ^on life's way, " 

They still cling to mem'ry. 

Oh, how I'd love to tell my friends. 

Could I for one moment see. 
That loving look and smiling face. 

So vivid now in mem'ry. 
I'm thinking still of mother's love, 

That follows so kind and true 
I'm looking back to childhood days, 

My eyes no more wiU view. 



104 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

On July, 4:th 1609 Samuel Champlain entered 
the lake that now bears his name, having left 
Quebec the 18th of May previous. His party 
consisted of sixty Huron and Algonquin Indians, 
and two Frenchmen. Having had to leave his 
shallop at the rapids above- his Indian allies fur- 
nished him with twenty-one bark canoes. 

In these he proceeded up the lake as far as 
what is now known as Crown Point. Here on 
the 20th of July, at 10 o'clock, P.M., he was met 
by a party of Iroquois, who came out from a 
cape projecting into the lake from the western 
shore, [sandy point, opposite addison.] At the 
first, Champlain and his party retreated into the 
lake. The Iroquois returned to the shore and 
landed, followed by the Hurons, who fastened 
their boats to stakes driven in the mud, about an 
arrow shot off. 

Both parties agreed to wait until morning be- 
fore the battle should begin, and the night was 
spent in singing the war-songs and other Indian 
rites preparatory to battle. 

In the morning, at daybreak, the battle com- 
menced. Champlain and his two men at first 
were kept out of sight. On the landing of the 
Hurons, the Iroquois came out from behind their 
barricades, and more noble-looking men Cham- 



AND DARING DEEDS. 105 

plain says he had never seen, two of their chiefs 
especially so. Champlain then walked in front 
of his party, the two Frenchmen and some of the 
Hurons were hidden in ambuscade. 

Each of the white men was then armed with 
a gun and two pistols. Champlain on landing 
had put four balls into his gun. When he first 
stood before the Hurons, the Iroquois gazed in 
wonder on the first white man they had ever 
seen. Their two prominent chiefs stood close 
together, and about thirty paces distant. 

Champlain fired at them, killing both, and 
mortally wounding one other man. The Iroqu- 
ois were paralyzed with fear at this new instru- 
ment of death, breathing fire and smoke, from 
which their chief's arrow-proof armor had no 
protection. 

The other Frenchmen poured in their fire, kill- 
ing one. This completed the battle, and in the 
panic the Iroquois fled in every direction, crying, 
* 'The devil! the devil!" On examining the armor 
of the chiefs, it was found to be woven with a 
thread of cotton, (where did they get it?) and a 
thread of bark. They were armed with toma- 
hawks of METAL. After the battle they crossed 
the lake to Chimney Point, in Addison. Cham- 
plain here named the lake for himself, and in the 



106 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

after part of the day started on their return for 
Canada. This battle was fought two months 
before Hudson discovered the river that bears 
his name, and four years before the Dutch set- 
tlement at New York, and eleven years before 
the landing at Plymouth. 

Lake Champlain from its discovery to 1665 re- 
mained the highway for the Iroquois & Hurons, 
in their war excursions against each other. Its 
earliest name was, '^irquoisia." 

I'LL LIVE FOR YOU OR DIE. 



I'll live for you or die, my love, 

With you life's glories glow- 
With you for guide our steps will glide 

Down where the peaches grow; 
Then in a cottage we will share. 

The comforts of life true- 
Where flowers in the summer bloom, 

The birds will sing for you — 

Then down the river we will sail, 

How pleasant that will be; 
While then in joyous fancy — 

We'll look o'er land and sea; 
My love will never prove in vain, 

On this you can rely — 
And from my word I'll not depart, 

I'll live for you or die. 



I'll LIVE FOR YOU, CON., 107 



I love to wander by the brook, 

When night- winds gently sigh; 
When shooting stars are twinkling 

Down from the silent sky; 
Sweet melody then cheers my heart, 

When notes are tuneful high, 
The very kind my love would sing, 

When I was sitting by. 
The pebbles shine out in the brook. 

Where water ripples clear. 
But down the future I must look. 

With one I love so dear. 
Now all is well with prospects fair, 

And I must tell you why: 
I own that friend who truly said 

^^I'll live for you or die." 

REFRAIN. 

In twilight shade, this promise was made. 

Where the wild roses bloom on the hill, 
And just beyond, by the old road-side. 

The birds were singing, whip-po-will. 
This was to my mind enchanting time, 

While we slowly kept walking by, 
'Twas then and there I smilingly said, 

*^I'll live for you or die." 



108 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

^*He is a good man."- *^Yes, sir; he is the hest 
hand on my place. He is steady, honest and in- 
dustrious. He has been my foreman for the last 
ten years- a more trusty negro I never knew. " 

*^Why do you wish to sell him?" Because he 
disobeys my orders. As I said he is my foreman; 
and that he might be available at any moment I 
might want him, I built his hut within a hundred 
yards of my own house, and I have never rung 
the bell at any time in the night or morning that 
his horn did not answer in five minutes after. 

But two years ago he got religious, and com- 
menced what he terms, or calls, family prayer, 
that is, praying in his hut night and morning, 
and when he begins his prayer, it is impossible 
to tell when he would stop, especially if (as he 
termed it) he got happy. 

Then he would sing, and pray, and halloo for 
an hour or two together, that you might hear a 
mile off. And he would pray for me and my 
wife and my children, and our whole family con- 
nections to the third generation, and sometimes 
when we would have visitors, Moses would in- 
terrupt the conversation and destroy the enjoy- 
ment of the whole company. The women would 
cry and the children would cry, and it would 
get me almost frantic, and even after I had 



AND DARING DEEDS. 109 

retired, it would sometimes be almost daylight 
before I could go to sleep, for it appeared to me 
that I could hear Moses pray for three hours 
after he had finished. 

I bore it as long as I could, and then forbid his 
praying any more, and Moses promised obedi 
ence, but he soon transgressed, and my rule is 
never to whip, but, whenever a negro proves in- 
corrigible, I sell him. 

This keeps them in better subjection, and less 
trouble than whipping. And 1 pardoned Moses 
twice for disobedience in praying so loud, but the 
third time I knew I must sell him, or every ne- 
gro on the place would soon be perfectly regard- 
less of all orders," ^'You spoke of Moses's hut. 
I suppose from that he has a family" 

* ^ Yes, he has a woman and three children, or 
wife, I suppose he calls her now, for soon after 
he got religion, he asked me if they might be 
married, and I suppose they were." 

* ^ What will you take for Moses and his fami- 
ly?" '^If you want them for your own use I will 
take $1,400; but I shall not sell Moses nor them 
to go out of the state." 

^ ^I wish them for my own use, and will take 
them at your price." Mr. B. and Colonel C. then 
went to Mr. B's store, drew up the writings and 



110 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

closed the sale, after which they returned to the 
vessel; and Mr. B. approached the negro, who sat 
with his eyes fixed upon the deck, wrapped in 
meditation of the most awful forebodings. 

''Well, Moses, I have bought you." Moses 
made a low bow, and every muscle in his face 
worked with emotion when he replied: 

*'Is you, massa? Where is I gwine,massa? Is 
I gwine to Georgia?" ''No," said Mr. B. "I am 
a merchant here in this city. Yonder is my 
store, and I have purchased also your wife and 
children that you may not be separated." 

"Bress God for dat, massa, kin I go to meetin' 
sometimes?" "Yes, Moses, you can go to church 
three times on Sabbath and every night in the 
week, and you can pray as often as you choose; 
and every time you pray, whither it be at home 
or in church, I want you to pray for me, my 
wife and all my children; for if you are a good 
man your prayers will do us no harm, and we 
need them very much; and if you wish to you 
may pray for everybody of my name in the 
State. It will not injure them." 

When Mr. B. was dealing out these privileges 
to Moses, the negro's eyes danced in their sock- 
ets and his full heart laughed outright for glad- 
ness, exposing two rows of even, clean ivory. 



AND DARING DEEDS 111 

His heart's response was. ^^Bress God, brets 
God all de time, and bress you, too,massa;Moses 
neber tinks 'bout he gwin to hab all des commo- 
dationers ; dis makes tink 'bout Joseph in Egypt. 
And after Moses had poured a few blessings on 
Colonel C. and bidden him a warm adieu, and re- 
quested him to give his love and farewell to his 
mistress, the children and all the servants- He 
followed Mr. B . to the store to enter upon the 
functions of his new office. 

The return of the schooner brought to Moses 
his wife and children. 

Early the next spring as Mr. B . was standing 
in his store door, he saw a man leap upon the 
wharf from the deck of a vessel, and walk hurri- 
edly toward the store. He soon recognized him 
as Colonel C. They exchanged salutations, and 
to the Colonel's inquiry after Mose Mr. B. replied 
that he was up stairs measuring grain, and in- 
vited him to walk up and see him. Soon Mr. 
B.'s attention was arrested by a very confused 
noise above. He listened and heard some one 
sobbing violently and some one talking very hur- 
riedly; and when he reflected upon Colonel C*'s 
movements and the peculiar expression of his 
countenance, he became alarmed and went up to 
see what was transpiring. 



112 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

When he reached the head of the stairs he 
was startled at seeing Moses in the middle of the 
floor down upon one knee, with his arm around 
the Colonel's waist, and talking most rapidly, 
while the Colonel was weeping audibly. 

Soon as the Colonel could sufficiently control 
his feelings, he told Mr. B. that he had never 
been able to free himself from the influence of 
Moses's prayers, and that during the past year 
he and his wife and children had been converted. 

Moses responded: *'Bress God, Massa C, doe I 
way up hea, I neber forgit you in my prayers; I 
olles put de ole massa side de new one. 

Bress God, dis makes Moses tink about Joseph 
in de Egypt. (this was m Baltimore. ) 

*^YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN." 

__ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ — 



Now when Jesus told the people, 

*'Ye must be born again," 
How they marveled at this saying 

But soon He made it plain. 
When Nicodemus questioned Him 

His answer was the same; 
**Marvel not that I said unto thee, 

Ye must be born again." 



*^YE MUST BE BORN ANEW." 113 

**The wind bloweth where it listeth, 

Our Saviour meekly said;" 
And then He told of many thing, 

And brought to life the dead. 
<<I am come in my Father's name, 

The world must know its true! 
Marvel not that I said unto thee 

Ye must be born anew." 

They which are born of the spirit, 

Will praise God here below, 
And they abiding in His love; 

Shall triumph o'er the foe. 
The Saviour now is lifted up, 

His words remain the same! 
< ^Marvel not that I said unto thee 

Ye must be born again." 

**The true light shineth in darkness, 

We speak that we do know;" 
The spirit of God gives wisdom. 

And brings true joy for woe. 
Listen now to words from heaven! 

These words cannot be slain; 
*<Marvel not that I said unto thee, 

Ye must be born again." 



114 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

^'When John Carver and his associates landed 
at Plymouth, and afterwards John Winthrop 
and his associates arrived at Charlestown, they 
might have doubted, on some accounts, whether 
their names would be known to posterity. 
They labored, however for the good of mankind, 
and laid foundations with a distinct and special 
regard for the benefit of future times. 

Their posterity remember them with inex- 
pressible gratitude, and their names will receive 
new tributes of admiration with every succeed- 
ing age." 

The men who love to labor contribute in ma- 
terial degrees to build up, and purify, and enoble 
the future greatness of America- and such were 
they who came to help the Lord against the 
mighty, armed with noble thoughts that com- 
mand attention, making their way through the 
channel to success. ('^OH for a closer walk 
WITH GOD.") Treatise on practical religion, and 
its value to mankind, should have a place in ev- 
ery home. The moral enterprises at the present 
day are novel; if not in their character, and prin- 
ciple, they are i]i combination and effect. 

God smiles upon all good persevering and unl- 
it ed people, acknowledging such as His friends 
and His servants by His love. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 115 

The summary of life is with the memories of 
the past. We should all live, so far as man is 
concerned, in love- the flower of life — 

All sifted and treasured by the carefulness of 
the winds, which indifference and neglect have 
failed to bear away. 

We must admire fame, and love- which is the 
gateway to heaven, thro' which we attain com- 
panionship with angels at the alter of mercy. 

The greatest and grandest motive of hfe, looks 
heaven-ward- purity and nobility in love, shine 
thro' wisdom. A young man once said after he 
felt called to preach ' 'I applied myself to the Bi- 
ble, then God's word became my meat and drink; 
I realy thought I loved God's law. I thought I 
loved to pray. I thought I loved to praise Him. 
I loved to speak, and I thought I loved to hear. 
I thought I loved to mourn and to rejoice- in a 
word, that I loved all that God loved, and hated 
all He hated — 

I attended all the meetings that I could, and 
always had something given me to say. — At 
length I began to repeat the following words: 
*'Lord, open doors and provide places for me to 
preach in- open ears to hear me, and give me 
food and raiment convenient for myself and 
family, and I am thy servant forever,-' 



116 THEILLING ADVENTURES 

In the summer of 1776, a year so memorable 
in the history of the United States, a message 
was received that Saint Johns was taken by the 
British, and that the Indians, who were a terror 
to all the early settlers, would be sent to lay 
waste the country. 

They were greatly alarmed, and at their wits 
end to know what to do. After some consulta- 
tion, they concluded the only course was to re- 
move to some place of greater safety. Accord- 
ingly with such of their effects as they could 
carry in their flight, they left for Newbury, 
where a fort had been erected, and soldiers sta- 
tioned, both to protect the settlers from the Ind- 
ians and the Tories in the surrounding country, 
and to check the incursions of the Indians and 
British from Canada. 

Before leaving, William Nelson filled a large 
Scotch chest with sundry articles, and buried it, 
and then to prevent the suspicions of the sons of 
the wilderness, burnt brush upon the grave . 

They soon found however, that if they remain- 
ed long at Newbury, a greater calamity if possi- 
ble, than war, would befall them. 

They had commenced to clear and cultivate 
the land; their crops were in the ground, and 
they must secure them, or die of starvation- 



AND DAEING DEEDS 117 

These brave men again held a council and all 
agreed that there was no alternative but to re- 
turn at the risk of their lives. 

Tradition reports that William Nelson preced- 
ed the rest. He bravely said. ^*It is better to 
die by the sword than famine, and tearing him- 
self away from his weeping wife and children, 
went boldly back, trusting in Jehovah's arm for 
safety. During the day he worked hard, and 
slept at night with his door barricaded, and his 
gun at his pillow. 

The expected invasion however did not occur, 
and consequently all in a few days returned to 
their own habitations. 

Beasts of prey proved a greater annoyance 
than the Indians. The latter, by kind hospita- 
ble treatment became the friends of the settler, 
but the wolves and bears which were very num- 
erous, and were not easy to subdue. For some 
time John Henderson was the only person that 
owned a cow in that part of the town. The cow 
not returning home as usual one evening; Mrs. 
Henderson, in the absence of her husband went 
in search for her. Soon after Mr. Henderson 
came home, and missing his wife asked the child- 
ren where their mother was? They said, ^'Moth- 
er has gone to find the cow." 



118 AND DAKINO DEEDS 

It was then dark, at once it occurred to him 
she was lost. "With a pine torch in one hand, 
and a gun in the other, he sallied forth to find 
her. He fired off his gun. But no reply came, 
he proceeded farther into the woods, and dis- 
charged his gun the second time. She answered. 

Following the direction of her voice, he found 
her lodged in a tree, where she had taken refuge 
from wild beasts. Being greatly terrified she 
screamed outright, and such a noise. Bruin was 
not accustomed to hear- and ran away. 

Bear's meat was much used by the early set- 
tlers. The lean part of the bear being like beef 
and the fat like pork, it was a good substitute 
for both. When salted a little, call it corn beef. 

Besides the perils from the Indians, and wild 
beasts, there were other difficulties that the ear- 
ly settlers had to surmount to put their descend- 
ants into the possession of their present cherish- 
ed inheritance. 

There were no bridges and no roads, but spott- 
ed trees . When they went to mill with a grist, 
they carried it on their backs, often more than 
ten miles ; this was also the mode of conveyance, 
in carrying articles to and from the store, which 
was far away — Men and women then would 
go ten miles on foot to worship Grod. in church. 



THE DEVIL AT HIS BEST. 11^ 



When the Devil sought the people, 

To o'er-throw the plans of God: 
He had no use for Holy work, 

True, Infinite, and broad. 
He read the Scriptures so to teach, 

That none are free from sin- 
Therefore the just and Holy ones 

Are all controlled by him. 

He taught the people how to cheat. 

He taught them how to lie; 
He lead them into bondage deep, 

And prisons where they die. 
He told them how the high and low 

Would in a measure win- 
And they would up to heaven go. 

Regardless of all sin. 

He favors strongest kind of drink. 

And said it makes all wise ; 
His subjects stagger on the streets 

With stimulated lies. 
He fires them up to make a fuss. 

And for an office seek- 
His wisdom now is guiding those 

Who steal, and hide, and sneak. 



120 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Captain Comstock appeared at the battle of 
Bennington barefooted. On being asked why he 
so appeared, he replied. ^^111 kill the first Hes- 
sian that falls in my way, and then 111 have his 
shoes. He soon found an opportunity; killed a 
Hessian, but his shoes were too small; shortly 
he succeded in killing another, and while in the 
act of placing his feet in the shoes of his unfor- 
tunate and fallen enemy, a ball struck him and 
he fell to rise no more; upon which a soldier of 
his company by the name of Benjamin Griff is, 
remarked to Lieut. Brownson, that the Captain, 
had lost his shoes. 

Upon another occasion, the battle still raging 
and men falling. Griff is, (no doubt moved by self 
interest, he having previously lost his wife. ) re- 
marked to Lieut. Brownson that widows would 
be plenty after the battle. 

* * * * 
Eldad Taylor, residing on a farm near the Roar- 
ing Branch, had two daughters T and 4 years, 
of age, who had wandered into the woods, on 
the 31 of May, 1780. Not returning and night 
coming on the parents were almost wild fearing 
they had fallen a prey to the wild beasts that 
were plenty in the forest. With the ade of a few 
neighbors they commenced to search, which was 



AND DARING DEEDS. 121 

continued through the night, the next day they 
were joined by a large number of people from 
this and the adjoining towns. The search was 
continued until mid-afternoon the third day; 
when worn out by fatigue and despairing of 
finding the lost wanderers alive, the men had 
collected together with the view of returning to 
their homes ; among them was Ethan Allen. 

He mounted a stump and when all eyes were 
fixed upon him, then in a manner peculiar to 
himself, he pointed fii-st to the father and then 
to the mother of the lost children, now petrified 
with grief, he admonished each individual pres- 
ant, and especially those who were parents, to 
make the case of these parents his own, and then 
say whether they could go contentedly to their 
homes without making further effort to save 
the dear little ones who probably are now alive, 
perishing with hunger, and spending their last 
strength in crying for father and mother to give 
them some food. 

As he spake, his giant frame was agitated, and 
in the assembly of several hundred men, but few 
eyes were dry; whereupon they all manifested a 
willingness to return at once. The search was 
again renewed, and before the sun-set that day, 
the children were found and restored to parents. 



122 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

The town of Sunderland was for some time 
the home of Gen. Ethan Allen, here he erected 
a dwelling house on the north side of the Bat- 
tenkill. This house remained upon its old site 
as late as 1845. It was in this town where Ben- 
jamin Huges, holding a Justice commission un- 
der the colony of New York. Was brought be- 
fore a Commitee of Safety and tried, convicted 
and received the following sentence- 

The prisoner to be taken from the bar of this 
Committee and tied to a tree; receive full twenty 
stripes; his back being dressed he shall depart 
out of this district, and on return without spe- 
cial leave of the Convention-suffer death. 

This sentence was executed May 30th, 17Y5. 

KEEP THE BANNER UP. 

» » ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Brightly the flag of freedom is waving, 
Over our commerce, and schools so free; 

And all the world can admire it friendly, 
Wherever it floats o'er land or sea. 

The flag of our union in glory shall wave- 
Through wisdom and right prevailing; 

When justice demands it answers the call! 
No matter who are assailing. 



KEEP THE BANNEE UP. 123 

We'll honor the union of this great nation, 

Home of the Banner that waves so free; 
And justly maintain the wise foundation! 

Which liberty wrought for you and me. 
In conflicts so far, the world may all know. 

Our Banner revives the old story; 
If ever in war we'll maintain the right, 

We'U never give up ''old glory." 

We all are in union with this great nation, 

The birthplace of heroes, brave and true; 
They pondered well, and lade the foundation, 

And now their record, we can review. 
The land they so loved the Banner waves o'er, 

The star of the world, for rich or poor; 
And in this relation we'll meekly adore, 

This echoes now from shore to shore. 

Keep the Banner up and waving, 

Over land and sea; 
It will never cease from glory, 

True as true can be. 
Keep the good old flag a waving 

Then the world can see. 
How we love the Starry Banner 

The emblem of the free. 



124 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

In 1778 the settlers built the first log school 
house in Middle bury, and in the fall of that year 
there was a general distruction of property all 
along the borders of the Champlain, which caus- 
ed a complete desertion of that settlement till 
after the war. 

The settlers buried in the earth all of their ef- 
fects they could not carry with them. 

Olive Torrence, daughter of Robert Torrence, 
who was but five years old at the time, gave the 
following account, at the age of 84- They came 
down Otter Creek on a raft, and built their cabin 
where the family resided for years. 

At the time of their flight Olive was 8 years 
old. When the rumors of the depredations in 
adjoining settlements came, the men left their 
hoeing, and hauled out six canoes from among 
the trees which they held in instant rediness. 

In August the message came. The Tories and 
Indians were approaching. They at once buried 
their sugar, kettles, pewter, &c. under the floor 
of their cabin. 

Her mother went out once more to look upon 
the promising garden she had taken so much 
pains to cultivate, then they all proceeded down 
to the creek, where a raft was constructed upon 
which the women, children, and goods were plac- 



AND DARING DEEDS. 125 

ed and their journey commenced up the creek, 
their only highway. ^'Mrs. Bently carried in 
her arms the first child born in town, (Hannah 
Bently) which attracted much attention, being 
the only child." The fugitives landed at a mili- 
tary station in Pittsf ord . 

Mrs. Torence in a canoe, soon followed the oth- 
er women, ' ^carrying in her arms a child about 
two years old, in a sort of bundle gown brought 
over her shoulder." Met a regiment of soldiers 
drawn up in front of her. The Colonel recog- 
nized her, and called out, ' ^My God, there's Sally 
Peck! "(her maiden name.) *^It makes a man's 
eyes run to see you brought to this!" At his 
suggestion the soldiers gave up their quarters to 
the women and children. 

* * * * 

Judge Panter, though driven from his home, 
did not leave the State till the British had gain- 
ed a dangerous control over nearly all western 
Vermont. He had been acquainted with Ethan 
Allen before he came to Vermont, and was ' 'in- 
timately associated with, Warner, and Baker, 
in their movements. 

He once visited the British post while they 
held Crown Point, in order to spy, out their con- 
dition and plans. He played the part of a half 



126 THKILLING ADVENTUKES 

idiot, ' ^taking with him a basket in which he car- 
ried a little butter, a few eggs, and some notions 
to sell to the soldiers." The guard had been in- 
structed to let no suspicious person pass, and 
Painter, notwithstanding his appropriate dress 
and foolish appearance, was too suspicious-look- 
ing; hence, instead of being admitted into the 
fort he was taken in a boat and rowed toward a 
large boat in which were the superior officers, 
before whom he was to be carried for examina- 
tion. He knew he was in the power of the en- 
emy who would soon be able to prove the fals- 
ity of his character. 

He saw the eyes of the officers were watching 
every movement, but as though seeing not, sus- 
pecting not, and casting himself down into the 
boat, began to count over to himself the profits. 
If he sold mother's butter for so much a pound, 
and sister Susy's eggs for so much apiece- this 
innocent unconcern and idiotic gibbering saved 
him. The officers began to dread the ridicule it 
might bring upon them to take so much pains 
to capture a * 'perfect idiot," and upon consulta- 
tion turned their boat about and allowed him to 
enter the fort and trafic with the soldiers ; after 
which he hurried his departure with a f ixt re- 
solution never to enter in such disgrace again. 



I REMEMBER. 127 



I remember past kindness shown, 

And wish I'd loved them more; 
For now I know that life has flown 

Out through an open door. 
In thought of true affection fled, 

And a voice I hear no more! 
Carries me back to when a lad, 

I slammed the kitchen door. 

My mother in the good old way, 

With justice on her mind; 
Gave me a dressing up that day. 

She taught me to be kind; 
In every act, look or thought. 

My mother had control; 
And now that lesson to me taught, 

Brings blessings to my soul. 

All mother's love may be the same. 

My mother's love was true; 
And I shall always prize that name, 

That name has honored you. 
A thousand prayers without a pause, 

Could not restore the past! 
And true to every worthy cause, 

My mother's deeds will last. 



128 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

**When the ladies," said Mr. Powers, came to 
Wells river (there being no canoes), they would 
bare their feet, and trip it along as nimbly as a 
deer, the men generally went barefooted, the la- 
dies certainly, wore shoes. 

Money was a scarce article in those days as 
shown by the following incident: Gen. White- 
law purchased a corn-broom, the first that was 
used in the settlement. 

His daughter being very much pleased with 
it, remarked that she would never again be to 
the trouble to make a broom of hemlock brush, 
when one much superior can be bought for twen- 
ty-five cents. **Marion" said her father. *^I 
have seen the time when there was not twenty- 
five cents in the neighborhood." 

In digging to lay the foundation of a dam in 
Woodford, for a forge, in removing a large pine 
stump, the horns of an elk, weighing 60 lbs., 
were found imbedded in the ground below the 
roots of the stump. 

Mr. Cutler, the first settler of Woodford City, 
on one occasion lost himself in the woods, and 
wandered around until sundown. 

Seeing no prospect of getting out that night, 
he began looking about for a place to lodge, and 
stepping over an old log, found himself in a nest 



AND DARING DEEDS. 129 

of young cubs . The little bruins immediately 
gave a loud alarm, which was answered by the 
old bear, about 10 rods distant. 

Mr. C, entirely without weapons, made for 
the nearest tree with all possible dispatch. This 
was a beech, its nearest branch nearly 20 feet 
from the ground. 

He sprang up, and barely got his feet out of 
her reach when she struck at him with her paw. 

Finding his chance was good for staying thro' 
the night, he ascended into the branches and 
there cut with a small knife a good stick for de- 
fence, and cut off some small limbs and fastened 
himself to the tree with them. 

Mrs. Bruin kept near to the foot of the tree in 
close watch until after daylight, then she took 
her family and moved off to other quarters. 

Mr. C, beholding at length the coast clear, com- 
menced taking a view from his elevated position 
of the surrounding country, hoping to obtain a 
glimps once more of civilization or the abodes 
of men. He then made up his mind as to the 
best course to take, decended the tree and reach- 
ed the habitation of human beings on the old 
turnpike about noon. 

From that part of the town the view of the 
surrounding country was exceedingly grand. 



130 BEAUTIFUL DAYS. 



♦ » ♦ »♦ 



Beautiful Days, inspiring thought, 

New scenes enlighten the mind; 
The landscape view where-e'er you go, 

Some scenes are fading in kind. 
The mountains, and rivers, and lakes, 

What more can delight the mind; 
The valley scenes, and meadows green, 

All were made to bless mankind. 

Years ago, the days were gliding, 

Past my old home in Vermont, 
And like a pleasant picture lying 

I now view past scenes in thought. 
The old cottage can now be seen, 

Where mother's flowers did grow, 
And the old fence by the way-side 

That was built there years ago. 

Sitting near the dear old homestead, 

I could look o'er Lake Champlain, 
And beyond its lovely borders 

I viewed the Adirondacks plain. 
Up and down the streets IVe wander'd, 

In the Champlain Valley fair! 
Then I viewed the ancient orchards 

That were planted early there. 



BEAUTIFUL DAYS, CON., 13X 

Beautiful scenes, now I remember, 

Sitting by the hearth at night. 
Where pleasant looks in tender love 

Then did glow in candle-light. 
Now in my fancy I seem to hear, 

The dear children's voices ring; 
While in reviewing year by year, 

The old songs we used to sing. 

Oft the frost would nip my fingers, 

In the winter's stormy blast. 
Then I sported making snow-paths 

With my sled it was no task. 
How Beautiful the days did seem 

When the time was spent in play; 
Then pleasure had a shining path 

That has lingered to this day. 

The Beautiful past is never a dream, 

Although it has taken flight, 
The future may unfold its leaves, 

More Beautiful and bright. 
I think of the time that is to come, 

Far beyond this earthly shore. 
Where I may clasp the hands I love. 

And say good by no more. 



♦ ♦♦♦♦• 



132 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

As yet no established post roads had been con- 
structed, and the arrangments for carrying the 
mail were every way inadequate to the wants of 
the settlers. All the southern mails were con- 
veyed from Barnet to St. Johnsbury, over the 
hill road through Peacham and Danville. 

The post riders made their periodic circuits on 
horse back, fuUy equipped with saddle bags and 
a large tin horn. 

Prominent among these public functionaries, 
and well known for his daring deeds was the 
man William Trescott. He had been endowed 
by nature with a versatile genius. His attain- 
ments in astronomy, and capacity for ardent 
spirits were alike immense, and his genius was 
especially exercised in the construction of alma- 
nacs and the destruction of bears. 

He it was, who encountered and vanquished 
Bruin on the edge of the gravel bank south of 
the Plain. It happened on this wise: Trescott 
had been employed in clearing and burning over 
the tract of hill land. The fires required-' ^tuck- 
ing up" in the evening, and this had excited the 
curiosity of a certain bear, who after dark, prow- 
led out of the woods to investigate proceedings. 

In the course of their wanderings over the hill- 
side Trescott and Bruin most unadvisedly met. 



AND DABING DEEDS US 

each being astonished at seeing in the darkness 
an undefined phenomenon standing on two feet. 

No very considerable space of time elapsed 
before an acquaintance was effected, and warm- 
ly embracing each other, the two rolled down the 
hill-side, until cradled in the hollow of an up- 
rooted stump. 

Trescott was now underneath, uninjured and 
unterrified. His right hand was free, with it he 
straightway produced a knife from his pocket, 
and after opening the blade of the same with his 
teeth, applied it with fatal effect to the jugular 
vain of the quadruped. 

This ended the tragedy; but the bear mean- 
time had suffered untold agonies from the inces- 
sant worrying and yelping of Trescott's dog, and 
it was said, that personal comfort of both com- 
batants had been seriously endangered by the 
showers of fire brands that came blazing down 
the hill-side at the instigation of a certain terri- 
fied youth above. 

Now in giving the minor particulars of this 
transaction, authorities somewhat differ, but as 
to the ESSENTIAL FACTS, that Bill Trescott met, 
and hugged and rolled down hill with a bear 
there can be no question. Several years after 
the above adventure a movement was made on 



134 THRILLING ADVENTUEES. 

the part of citizens, to wage a war of extermin- 
ation against the bears; in fact they had greatly 
multipUed in that locality. Dr. Calvin Jewett 
was commander-in-chief who mustered all the 
effective forces, who took down their fowling- 
pieces and went forth into the haunts of the of- 
fenders. An ample range of the forest was se- 
lected, taking in the steep bank of the Passump- 
sic, opposite the bend in the river near Center- 
ville. Scattered about were the hunters, but 
after they went over the hill-top and returned 
through the forest, nine black bear pelts were 
spread out on the grass in front of Edson's tav- 
ern. And suggestive is the fact that the nine 
pelts were soon sold for the necessaries of life, 
then so called, ^ 'rum, bread and butter." 

THE RESCUE. 



Carry out to them the life line, 

Don't wait till the storm is o'er; 
For you can mount the billows high 

And row your boat from shore. 
Your captain is true and ready 

To direct you with the line; 
So pull out for the shipwreck crew 

Without any waste of time. 



THE KESCUE, CON., 135 

Now hurry out with the life line, 

Fear not if the waves are rough; 
Just show your manly courage boys, 

Your boat is strong enough- 
Now take each stroke on together, 

And row with all your might! 
You'll soon reach the stranded ship 

Then fasten the line on tight. 

When you make fast the life line. 

There's something more to do, 
Pull in the line with all you might, 

Then hurry and bring the crew. 
Some may be dead or perishing 

While the line is holding fast; 
Bring them now safely to the shore. 

Then your joy will come at last. 

Rough and wild, the billows raging, 

When the life boat came to shore. 
With the crew of rescued sailors. 

Numbering more than half a score. 
Then from the ocean's raging water. 

And the storm of rain and sleet, 
Those brave men were soon rejoicing 

For their rescue was complete. 



136 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

In Oct, 1759 Maj. Rogers and his company of 
rangers came down the Passumpsic from Cana- 
da, in his expedition to punish the St. Francis 
tribe of Indians, and being disappointed in not 
receiving provisions on the Connecticut River, a 
number of them died of starvation. 

From Thompson's Gazetteer of Vermont, edi- 
tion 1824, says, ''Maj. Rogers, with one hundred 
and fifty six men, came to the mouth of the Pa- 
ssumpsic, discovered a fire on the round island, 
made a raft and passed over to it- but to their 
surprise no provisions had been left. 

The men already reduced to a state of starva- 
tion, were so disheartened that sixty-six of them 
died before the next day. 

An Indian was cut to pieces and divided am- 
ong the survivors. David Woods, was one of 
Rogers's sergeants, and stated the above to be 
correct." This account is not correct in some im- 
portant particulars. Rogers's journal and the 
histories of the expedition show that the soldiers 
and prisoners, all told did not amount to that 
number, besides all of the survivors were not 
then and there present, and that it is highly im- 
probable that so great a number as sixty-six died 
in eighteen hours. Peter Lervey, one of Rogers 
men told about the soldiers dropping off before 



AND DARING DEEDS. 137 

they came to the Connecticut River, but made 
no mention of the party eating human flesh. 

David Woods, said that he was with Rogers, 
and that they camped near the mouth of the 
Passumpsic, and that night snow fell several 
inches deep, and that a negro soldier died that 
night and was cut up in the morning and divid- 
ed among the soldiers, and he had one hand for 
his share, on which with a small trout, after be- 
ing well cooked, made a very good breakfast 

After breakfast, in going down the river they 
discovered fire on the round island opposite its 
mouth, and that Rogers and one man passed 
over to the island . 

Rogers became satisfied that men had been 
there with provisions but had left. 

On his return to his men a consultation was 
had each soldier was told to take care of himself. 

Another person writes, ' 'Joseph Woods told 
me, and I think his father told him, that about 
the time the rangers expected to die of starva- 
tion, the men cast lots to see who should be kill- 
ed to furnish food so that they might not all die, 
and that one was killed and eaten." 

Another person told the writer that he heard 
Hiram Woods say that he had ' 'eaten a piece of 
an Indian," Now these stories can be reconciled 



138 THEILLING ADVENTUKES 

upon the improbable supposition that Eogers's 
party killed one man, a soldier; and ate three 
dead men, one white man, a negro, and an Indi- 
an. It is safe to assert that there is no proof 
that Kogers and his men, as a party, killed or 
ate any man, white, black, or red. 

It is gratifying to know that an investigation 
dispelled the cloud that had so long time obscur- 
ed, in some degree, the glory of the heroic Rogers 
and his brave men, who fearlessly went hund- 
reds of miles through the enemy's country, per- 
formed exploits, and endured the torture of fam- 
ine and fatigue, to punish the horrid barbarities 
long practised by the savages of Canada, and so 
save the families of the frontier settlers. 

LIFE'S TRIALS. 

— ♦♦ ♦ ♦♦ 



When life's trials come before thee, 

With their fearful rolling swell, 
Look to Heaven then for rescue 

And you'll feel that all is well: 
See you have the christian courage, 

Firmly bound within your heart, 
Then all bitter burning anguish. 

Will forever more depart. 



LIFE'S TEIALS, CON., 139 

Time is passing ^*God has promised," 

Through all sorrows to attend, 
He who's more than friend or brother 

Will be with us to the end.- 
There's no shading o'er the portals, 

Leading to our Heav'nly home 
**Jesus promised life eternal," 

There in glory we'll be known. 

When the hands and heart is weary, 

And our strength shall be no more, 
Then we'll dwell in glorious sunshine. 

Far beyond this earthly shore .- 
There will be no gloom or darkness, 

In that place so free from care; 
And the angels with God's glory. 

Shine in splendor ever there. 

Lift your voices, for the Master, 

Say to sinners now be-ware; 
That you know a sad condition, 

For in sin you've had a share! 
Tell them how the love of Jesus, 

Lifts a heavy load of care; 
And when trials come around thee, 

He'll not leave thee in despair. 
♦ * ♦ ♦ ♦ 



140 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Reuben Parker was born in Westminster, 
Mass., and settled in Peru Vt., sometime prior to 
1800- he was one of the first 4 families in town, 
and was active in every good work, and was a 
prime mover in all town affairs. 

He kept the first public house in town, and as 
it was customary in those days he kept a bar of 
liquors; but when the temperance wave rolled 
up the mountain side he at once became its ad- 
vocate, and would neither use or furnish others 
the noxious beverage. 

He had 12 children, and to say that they were 
all true sons and daughters of such a parent 
confers upon them an enviable, yet a rightful 
dower. At one time Mr. Biglow received a dis- 
cription of two thieves who were thought to be 
in his vicinity . He immediately set off- having 
arrived at the hotel in Londonberry, the inn- 
keeper, Mr. Gray, told him he tho't the very men 
he was in search of had taken dinner there and 
were then not far away on the road to Weston. 

Mr. Biglow, in reply said. ''I will have them," 
went on alone, and coming up to them ordered 
them to stop, but instead of- they started at full 
speed on their stolen horses and he after them. 

He captured them both, how we can not tell, 
unless there was a fascination in his eye, a power 



AND DARING DEEDS. 141 

in his voice, and authority in his command that 
could not be resisted. 

Rev. M. Bingham whom he valued very high- 
ly, was at one time stopping at his house, a very 
earnestly devoted man, he arose early one morn- 
ing, and going into the cornfield not far from the 
house, knelt in prayer. 

One of Biglow's daughters espyed some black 
object in the corn, ran to her father telling him 
that a bear was in the corn. 

He caught his gun and aimed it- but just as 
he was about to fire, Mr. Bingham slowly arose 
from his knees. 

In 1803 Mrs. Bard, went on horseback, in a 
bridle-path most of the way to the north part of 
the town, and on her return, when about half a 
mile from any clearing she came up to three 
bears directly in her path, they were digging for 
roots. Her horse refused to go past them; she 
hallooed, and threw at them her riding-stick. 
They merely looked up and went on with their 
digging. She turned her horse, and rode back 
to an old tree and broke some branches from it, 
Tvhich she threw at them, causing them to leave 
the path, two on one side and one on the other, 
then she rode on between them unmolested, but 
not entirely free from fear. 



142 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

In 1811 she rode from Peru to Manchester for 
meal; which was so very scarce at the time they 
would not sell it to a man, hut could not refuse 
a woman who pleads hard for herself, and her 
dear children's need. She left a babe at home 
but a few weeks old, and proceeded on the way, 
amid the screams of wild beasts. 

Mr. Bard's health was always delicate, conse- 
quently the hardships of life in a new country, 
pressed more heavily upon his wife; but she bore 
them nobly: she was the mother of 9 children 8 
daughters and one son. 

A PRICELESS LOVER. 



A priceless lover I have found, 

He's rich among the rest. 
He always smiles in pleasure, 

And takes his time to rest- 
He often called last summer, 

To sing his songs of love; 
And then walk out together. 

To view the stars above. 
How pleasant and enchanting, 

When strolling in delight, 
To smile upon your lover 

Out in the sweet twilight. 



A PRICELESS LOVER, CON., 143 

I have found a priceless lover, 

He soon will cross the sea, 
And spread the joyful tiding 

Where ever '*we may be." 
He looks high for relation, 

And smiles if others frown; 
My lover true *'I must tell you. 

Is worth ten thousand pounds." 
How lengthy are the moments, 

In waiting for the time. 
When we will be so happy 

Out on the wedding line. 

He never was dishonest, 
I He wearies not in strife, 

To love him is a pleasure 

And soon he'U have a wife. 
His ways are never falty. 

In action he's a star; 
In music he's a master, 

And never at the bar. 



Returned once more, to spend life's evening gray, 
Where first had dawned the morning of his day. 



144 THEILLINQ ADVENTUKES 

In ITTI, settlements were commenced on the 
White Creek meadows by New Yorkers, who 
had armed themselves in defiance of the New- 
Hampshire grantees. 

Soon after, the latter, well armed proceeded 
to drive off the intruders, who fled, and the log 
houses which they had erected were pulled 
down in heaps and burned with fire. 

In 1772, the Sheriff of Albany County, armed 
with the Governor's proclamation came on for 
the purpose of arresting the rioters — (as they 
were called,)- but the inhabitants having found 
out the Sheriff's intention turned out en masse, 
headed by *^one Harmon near Indian river, "and 
with guns and clubs drove them back, and they 
were glad to escape with their lives. 

The New Hampshire grantees were in the 
habit of applying the ^^Beech Seal"to the naked 
backs of the intruding ' 'Yorkers." 

*> <* »i* '1* 

To show the charcter of the Tories, and their 
hostility to the cause of the Eevolution, the fol- 
lowing story is told. Maj . Ormsby, then resid- 
ing in Manchester, a leading and active Whig, 
who had exposed himself to their especial hat- 
red, and they were determined to capture him 
for the British, then at Saratoga. 



AND DAEING DEEDS. 145 

Accordingly, six or eight Tories left Rupert in 
the night and proceeded to the Major's house. 
Fortunately he was not at home; but they seized 
his son Daniel, a young man about 21 years old, 
then they returned in haste with their prisoner 
to the wilds of Rupert. 

In the morning an alarm was given, and the 
friends of Ormsby, turned out for the purpose of 
rescuing him . They were enabled to follow the 
track of the Tories, in consequence of the pris- 
oner having taken the precaution, unobserved, of 
frequently breaking twigs off the low branches 
of trees, while traveling in the woods. 

The rescuers came across the party while at 
lunch on the north side of the town, and part 
way up the mountain. 

The TORIES, had in the meantime dressed their 
prisoner in a red coat, in imitation of a British 
soldier, John Nelson, one of the rescuing party 
drew up his gun and was in the act of firing up- 
on the RED-COAT, when the latter made a sign 
that he was a friend, then the former dropped 
his gun. He was thus rescued from the grasp 
of the TORIES and returned to Manchester. 

Dr. Josiah Graves was the first physician that 
settled in Rupert, he was a good man and well 
schooled in his practice, and was opposed to Dr. 



146 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

QUACKS. The following anecdote is characteris- 
tic, and shows the contempt he had for quack- 
ery. A Dr. Drew settled in Rupert, whom Dr.G 
considered a quack, and would not acknowledge 
him as a physician. At a certain time a stran- 
ger, passing along inquired of Dr. G. where Dr, 
D. lived- Dr. G. replied. ^^I know no such 
man." The stranger with surprise repeated the 
question. The Doctor again replied, ^^I know 
no such man." The stranger replied, that it was 
singular- very singular, for there was certainly 
such a man living somewhere in this town. 

The Doctor finally made answer. ^'I know no 
such man as doctor Drew, but there is a Jacob 
K. Drew who lives about two miles below. 

MESSAGE TO MOTHER. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Take this Message to his brother, 

Then he'll know the bitter part, 
He will read it to his Mother, 

So it may not break her heart. 
She will fear there is some trouble. 

And o'er this she must feel sad! 
When she listens to the Message, 

She will know he's injured bad. 



MESSAGE TO MOTHER, CON., 147 

As their train was flying homeward, 

All their pleasurers were delight, 
'Till they met a train up-coming 

With a load of freight that night: 
The crash was loud no one can tell, 

As cars smashed down each other! 
But now we can remember well, 

This Message to his Mother. 

In this wreck lov'd ones were dying, 

All could heard them plead and call! 
While in timbers pil'd high o'er them, 

Brave men wept, and work'd for all. 
Now in homes there is deep sorrow. 

Where they view the vacant chair! 
And this Message will be cherish'd, 

In true friendship ev'ry-where. 

Dear Mother,! am injured now, 
^ We're nearly all smashed up; 

jxj What love can I impart to you, 
^ In this sad and bitter cup! 

1^ I know you must be watching, 
Q And waiting for me at home; 

H Oh! Mother, I'm disabled now 
And cannot walk alone. 



♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 



148 TRUSTWORTHY DOG. 

As Major C was retiring to his chamber one 
night his dog silently followed him up into his 
room, which he had never been known to do be- 
fore, and to the master's astonishment, desired 
to stay all night. 

Being considered out of his place, he was told 
to go down and stay in his own quarters- after 
being put out he began scratching for admission. 

The servant was sent to drive him away. Dis- 
couragement could not check his intended la- 
bor of love, or rather providential impulse; he 
returned again, and was more importunate than 
before, to be let in. 

The Major, weary of opposition, bade the serv- 
ant to open the door, that they might see what 
he really wanted to do. 

This done, the dog with a wag of his tail; and a 
look of affection at his lord, deliberately walked 
up and crawling under the bed, and there laid 
himself down as if desirous to stay all night. 

To save farther trouble, but not from any love 
for his company, he was allowed to sleep under- 
neath his masters bed* 

About the solemn hour of midnight his cham- 
ber door opened, and a person was heard step- 
ping across the room. Mage sprang out from un- 
der the bed, and seized the unwelcome disturber. 



TRUSTWORTHY DOG. 149 

and held on to him, this awakened the Major, 
who quickly sprang out of bed. All was dark, 
but the Major soon obtained a light. 

The person who was pinned to the floor by the 
courageous dog, cried for assistance. 

The prisoner was found to be the hired man, 
who little expected such a reception. 

He endeavored to apologize for his intrusion, 
and to make the reasons plausible; but the im- 
portunity of the dog, the time, the place, the 
manner all raised suspicions in the Majors mind, 
and he determined to bring the case before the 
magistrate. 

The Italian somewhat terrified by the dread of 
punishment, and soothed with the hopes of par- 
don, at length confessed that it was his inten- 
tion to murder his master, and rob the house. 

This design was frustrated only by the in- 
stinctive attachment of the dog to his master, 
which seemed to have been directed on this oc- 
casion by the interference of Providence. 

How else could the poor animal have known 
the intended assassination? 

How else could he have learned to submit to 
injury and insult for his well-meant services; 
and finally seize and detain a person, who it is 
possible had shown him more kindness than his 



150 TKUSTWORTHY DOG. 

owner ever had? Mage was of a surly unsocial 
temper, disdaining all flattery, and refused to be 
caressed; but his attention to his master's com- 
mands and interests could not well be excelled. 

He was scarcely then a year old, and was very 
awkward at times. 

But when-ever he discovered what was his du- 
ty to do he was ever anxious to do it. 

He would always deliberately try to find out 
what his master desired of him. 

As he grew older he often astonished his mas- 
ter when hard pressed in accomplishing the task 
that he was put to, he had expedients of the mo- 
ment that bespoke a great share of his faculty. 

OLD DOG PETE. 



It's now a sad story, but true to relate, 

Of a drunkard, and his Old Dog Pete: 
When Pete was young, his master was kind, 

And at that time he drank beer and wine. 
Pete grew to be a large dog, kind and true, 

And when the Col. was drunk, Pete knew, 
And would follow, no matter what was said, 

And then sleep beside his masters bed. 



OLD DOG PETE, CON., 151 

One bitter cold night, when snow drifted fast, 

The Colonel's, team went flying on past, 
His neighbors saw this, and they well knew. 

That he would perish if out in the snow. 
His friends with lanterns went out to find, 

The drunkard in that cold freezing time, 
On the road they listened, and heard Pete cry, 

He would'nt leave his master there to die. 

The neighbors knew that Pete was ever true. 

If they found one they would find two; 
Listening while walking they kept the way. 

For they could hear Pete cry, *^as to say!" 
**Will some-one hear me? I feel most forlorn, 

My master will freeze,! fear in this storm," 
Soon a light was shining down the road- way. 

Where Old Pete's master in the snow lay. 

'^There's Pete! on the snow-drift just ahead. 

He's listening to hear, all that is said. 
Will he know us now so covered with snow? 

If not, we must try to make him know! 
We are friends Pete, what's the trouble now? 

At first he growled, but then he knew," 
They had come to carry his master home, 

Who was freezing then out in the storm. 



152 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Elder Amos Tuttle accepted a call to preach 
in the town of Hardwick and vicinity in 1795 . 
In October, that year he started with his family 
from Litchfield for Hardwick. Such a journey 
was in those days a great undertaking. 

They were fifteen days on the way, and met 
with no more serious accident than the breaking 
of the wagon. They arrived at Gilman's in Wal- 
den, October 31. At about dark that day, they 
encountered a heavy rain-storm, their bedding 
was soon taken from the wagon and placed on 
the floor in a little bark-covered log house, and 
there the tired immigrants lay down to rest. 

There was not a pane of glass about the house, 
therefore no sign of day appeared until the door 
was opened in the morning. 

The next morning to their great surprise the 
ground was covered with snow to the depth of 
15 inches. 

A messenger was sent to Hardwick, request- 
ing their friends to send teams to convey them 
on their journey. Three sleds, with wild steers 
^were sent. Two of them were loaded with the 
goods, and the third was fitted up with boxes 
for seats, and with plenty of straw whereupon 
to carry the sick, disheartened, mother and 
weeping children. 



AND DARING DEEDS. 153 

David Tuttle, who was then a small boy, says, 
*'As we reached the bottom of that awful hill at 
the Lamoille River, the sleds stopped that the 
bridge might be repaired . I saw my mother and 
brother and little sister all in tears, and shall 
never forget the expression of sadness when my 
mother said, *^Dear husband, where are you tak- 
ing me? I shall die, and what will become of the 
children? It sobered me for the rest of that day, 
and brings tears to my eyes now in my old age, 
as I relate it.'' 

They turned off from the Hazen road and fol- 
lowed a narrow sled-path which wound through 
the woods, across the Tuttle brook. 

The journey thus far being a success, the next 
care of our pioneer pastor, was to find a house 
for his family. There was an empty log shanty 
to be had but it was some out of repair. 

Elder Tuttle however was strong and healthy, 
and with the aid of his friends he succeeded by 
the middle of November, in making it habitable. 
There were to be sure, neither windows or cup- 
boards, nor chimney, and the hut itself was only 
12 by 15 on the inside. But he cut some holes 
through the logs and pasted oiled paper over for 
windows, and the smoke found its own way up- 
ward without any chimney. 



154 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

A successful hunt on snow-shoes by his party 
in the which three moose were killed, provided 
the family with meat for a time. 

After thus providing '^the food comfort," the 
next question seems to have been how to get 
about his parish. 

He soon found a way. He hewed out a "Tom- 
pung," as he called it, and put it together with 
wooden pins. And with some pieces of rope 
which had been used to bind on the loads while 
moving, he made into a kind of harness. 

This answered every purpose so far as to fast- 
en the horse to the pung, and to guide him on 
through the woods among his people who were 
somewhat scattered in four towns. 

CHRIST GAVE ME PEACE. 



Christ gave me peace one dismal day, 
While I was looking o'er His way, 

His pardon then, I did receive. 
And now I'm happy to believe. 

Inspire dear Lord-engraft all ties, 
And give us wisdom to be wise, 

Shine in my heart and glory bring! 
I love Thy name and love to sing. 



CHRIST GAVE ME PEACE. 155 

All seeking souls upon this earth, 
Can into glory have a birth: 

And then to dwell with Christ above, 
And sing with angels songs of love. 

Sometime the cold, cold, wave of death, 
Will enter in and take the breath; 

For all must part from earthly ties 
To meet the Saviour in the skies. 

REFRAIN. 

Oh, yes! I'm happy in sunshine Divine, 
For now I can own the Saviour as mine, 
He led me from darkness, and gave me 

His peace; 
Gave me His peace-gave me His peace, 
He led me from darkness, and gave me 

His peace; 
And then from bondage, I found relief. 

COME LET US SING. 
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Come I let us sing, in daytime or night. 

Sing with a glad heart, hopeful and bright, 
All join the chorus, singing songs we love. 
Looking beyond to the bright home above. 

Sing all ye people, through joyful strain; 

Sing with the spirit Christ doth contain. 
Glory give in song, for mercy and for love 
Glory give in song, for the Kingdom above* 



156 THE BARBER'S GHOST. 

A gentleman traveling some years since in one 
of the southern states, called at an inn, and desir- 
ed to stay all night. The host informed him it 
was out of his power to accommodate him, as 
his house was full, still he entreated him for lodg- 
ing, as he was almost exhausted in traveling, as 
well as his beast. 

After much urging he consented, provided he 
would sleep in the room that had long been un- 
occupied, in consequence of a belief that it was 
haunted by the ghost of a barber ,who was reput- 
ed to have been murdered there. *'Very well," 
''I'm not afraid of ghosts." Then said the host, 
those who lodged in the room last, stated that af- 
ter retiring a voice was heard, saying, ' 'do you 
WANT TO BE SHA-VED?" "Well, replied the guest, '' 
"If he comes I'll let him shave me." 

He then requested to be shown to the apart- 
ment . He was conducted through a room where 
were seated a number at a gaming table. 

Feeling a curiosity which almost every one 
possesses, after having heard 'ghost stories,' he 
carefully searched every closet in his apartment 
but could find nothing but a large basin. 

He then retired, in a short time he imagined 
he heard a voice. He arose and went to his win- 
dow, the sound appeared to come from the out- 



THE BARBER'S GHOST. ISTi 

side . After a few moments of suspense, he heard 
the sound distinctly. On closer examination he 
observed that a limb of the venerable oak project- 
ed so near the house, as on every breath of wind 
to grate the shingle, creating a sound like ''do 
YOU WANT TO BE SHA-VED." Having satisfied 
himself he went to bed again, and attempted to 
sleep ;but was interrupted by peals of laughter in 
the room below, where the gamblers were assem- 
bled. Thinking he could turn his discovery to 
his own advantage, he took the sheet from his 
bed, and wrapped it around him. 

Then taking a basin that was in the room de- 
scended to the room of the gamblers, and sud- 
denly opening the door, rushed in, exclaiming in 
a tremulous voice. ''Do — you — want — to — be — 
sha — ved?" Terrified at this sudden interrupt- 
ion, they left the room in the greatest confusion; 
some tumbling down stairs over the heads of 
some others. 

He then deliberately put his basin under the 
table, and gathered an immense sum of money 
into it, which had been left thereupon, and then 
retired peaceably to his room to rest. 

The next morning on going down below, he 
found the utmost confusion. 

They immediately asked him if he enjoyed a 



158 THE BARBER'S GHOST 

good night's rest. He replied in the affirma- 
tive. **Well, no wonder," for the ghost, instead 
of going to his usual place he made a mistake, 
and came into our room, and carried off every 
cent of our money!" The guest, without being 
the least suspected, quietly ate his breakfast, and 
departed with his valuable treasure. 



THE UPPER STORY. 

— ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ » — 

How is the upper story. 

At morning noon or night? 
How is the upper story. 

The room above your sight. 
Was the room ever vacant. 

In trouble can you see? 
It is the only store room, 

That ever troubled me. 
It is the highest occupant. 

For knowledge is the test; 
And it may be your fortune, 

To have more than the rest. 



THE UPPER STORY. 169 

How is the upper story, 

When the taxes are due? 
How is the upper story; 

When your business is blue? 
If the upper story's vacant, 

You could'nt have an ache- 
And when the time is lovely. 

You'll never feel to hate. 
The upper story is the best 

For ev'ry kind of mind. 
It holds a world of knowledge. 

To make or mar mankind. 

The upper story cultivate. 

The room below your hat. 
It's worthy of attention, 

'Till grayer than a rat 
Because it belongs to you. 

And it belongs to Pat, 
And each one can elevate. 

And dwell within the flat. 



♦ ♦ ♦ » ♦ 



Wise men live in honor trusting, 
Self denying work and pray; 

By and by they'll be rewarded, 
Where no time can pass away. 



160 THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. 

We had heard of the valley of the Champlain; 
but it is one thing to read of Beulah, and anoth- 
er to walk through her borders of beauty. 

Passing down the lake road from Panton to 
Addison, on the left of the smooth and excellent 
highway, handsome rural residences held the 
most charming sights, to almost every one of 
which we gave the palm before passing by, now 
to this cottage, with modest pretensions peeped 
out from 'mid an orchard of red-ripe fruitage; 
next to one that crowned a moderate elevation, 
overlooking a little bend or cove in the lake. 

There we saw the wreck of an old boat, half 
sunken in the water; we were told that three 
boats were wrecked there one stormy night. 

On our left lay one panorama of charming 
loveliness, while on the right, Champlain— lake 
of bright waters — heaved and swelled gently in 
toward the fair shore, now hidden from view by 
skirting trees, or slight swells of land, which our 
road came round and hugged more closely to 
the pebbly shore. 

This was one of the journeys that pay, where 
earth and air and water give unmeasured recom- 
pense; where one feels not the feather-weight of 
care, but luxuriates in the calm rich gladness, 
that stirs the boughs of the goodly trees, sings 



THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. 161 

in the low murmers of the lake-waves, looks 
down from the soft Indian summer sky, and 
maps the whole beautiful landscape. 

It was the afternoon of a lifetime, when one 
is satisfied with earth as it is-when the augury 
of hope prophesises in the heart: *^Then human 
mind takes color and tone by what it feeds upon. 
Where loved of the beautiful thus predominated 
and thus is cherished- where art skillfully joins 
handiwork with nature-your mission will ever 
be welcomed." Our first night in the Valley, we 
slept in the old Strong mansion, where five gen- 
erations of the Strong family have been born. 

Well may they who now dwell there feel an 
honest pride in the venerable mansion-substan- 
tial still; built in the day when carpenters did 
work upon honor. 

On the morrow we surveyed, with reverential 
admiration the spacious olden hall, with its 
broad stairway of antique banisters, the massive 
doors and ancient mouldings, and at the rear 
window, gaze out upon one of the finest lake- 
views in the country. 

In the evening we went back and lived over 
the early days of the settlement, the trials and 
expedients of those hardy, honest pioneers, and 
listened to the story of one church-going man, 



162 THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. 

who, the first winter of his residence in town, 
having no sleigh or sled, fitted runners to the 
trumdle-bed, in which he took his wife and chil- 
dren to meeting every Sabbath day; when the 
mountain squall threatened, covering over the 
heads of the happy load with an old quilt or cov- 
erlet, so that at the door where the meeting was 
held the plump little troop were turned out from 
the bunk where they nightly snugged down to 
sleep, warm and rosy, as if fresh from their 
slumbers. 

There was godliness and beauty in the homely 
story. Who can but heartily admire the man 
and woman, who, in every circumstance, '^puts 
the best foot forward? "Such were our forefath- 
ers and foremothers. 

MY MOTHEK TOLD ME SO. 



Just kindly sing this good old song, 

When you go round about, 
It would not take you very long 

To learn it there's no doubt. 
Of all the songs the world can sing, 

None can like this contain; 
The melody, the life and twang, 

Of this good old refrain. 



MY MOTHER TOLD ME SO. 163 

This charming song I used to sing 

When out to sport and play, 
Real joy to me would always bring 

At either night or day. 
It's the same song my playmates sang, 

Out by the cottage lane, 
There under the tree we would swing, 

And murmer this refrain. 

It was my mother's good old song. 

That first I learnt to sing. 
And still it cheers me all along 

Thus joy it always brings. 
One lovely sweet and greatful tho't, 

And you shall hear the same. 
The only song my mother sought 

Had this same old refrain. 

REFRAIN. 

Oh! where, oh where is perfect rest, 

In this great world of sinfulness? 
For storms are raging on life's track, 

And thro' them we must go- 
We cannot always keep them back, 

**My mother told me so:" 
We cannot always keep them back, 

**My mother told me so." . 



164 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

Rev. Thomas Clark, of Salem, N.Y., Rev. Rob- 
ert Annan, of Boston, John Galbraith, and some 
others, most of whom were Scotchmen, obtained 
a very large grant from New York, which lay on 
the Passumpsic, including Burk, being about 9 
miles long and 6 wide-which they called bamf. 
John Galbraith received $99,81 as his share of 
the $30,000 paid to the State of New York. 

He then went to Canada to return to Scotland, 
and was there seized as a spy and shipped with 
Jonathan Elkins of Peacham and others to Eng- 
land, where he was acquitted and set free, hav- 
ing a free passage home, he very soon arrived 
in Scotland. 

William Stevenson and James Gross, settled 
in the town of Barnet, in 1T76 and bought land 
in the Harvey tract, on the Stevens River. 

They lived alone in a house for a number of 
years. Coming home one time when the night 
was somewhat dark, from the mill at Newbury, 
with a, grist on their backs, and when about one 
mile from their home they found a bear sitting 
in theiy path^ 

Mr. Stevenson who was considerably ahead, 
and while his hound dog engaged the bear, Stev- 
enson had an opportunity and struck the beast 
across the eyes with the cudgel that he carried 



AND DARING DEEDS. 165 

with him. This upset the bear in some meas- 
ure; still Bruin gave fight to him and his dog; 
but Stevenson, watching for a good opportunity, 
struck him across the small of the back and con- 
tinued the blows till the bear was dead. 

He was a strong and courageous man, and of- 
ten said he did not know the nature of the beast 
he killed, and never thought he was in any dan- 
ger till he examined the bear's great paws. 

He carried it home, with the help of Mr. Cross, 
who caught up during the fight. 

James Gilchrist, Esq., a Scotchman, about the 
year 177T, settled on the plain at Mclndoe's Falls. 
At an early period he was elected to important 
offices in town, in which his influence was long 
felt. His wife had a very vigorous mind, good 
judgement ,and memory. 

She was then noted for her extensive religious 
knowledge and piety. She was a member of the 
Associate Congregation of Barnet for 40 years. 
She rode on horseback to Mr.Goodwille's church, 
and so regular and constant was her attendance, 
that one day, when too feeble to attend church, 
her trusty old horse, (she long used,) jumped out 
of the pasture one Sabbath morning, went with 
the neighbors to meeting, and stood at the old 
place until the rest went home. 



166 SLIDING DOWN THE HILL. 

♦ ♦ ♦■♦ ♦ 

The stars are coming out to night, 

And would you like to know, 
How the young can play on the hill 

While sliding o'er the snow? 
Come and go with me to night, 

Let the stars shine as they will; 
For pleasure now, we must not fail 

To join in sliding down the hill. 

Come see them now in true delight, 

And hear the bells a ringing! 
As down the hill they slide in style 

While to their sleds a clinging. 
Then may Sue, and her good Joe, 

Join hands — up the hill they go; 
With happy hearts and right good will, 

FiUs the bill, sliding on the snow. 

The moon and stars are shining out 

Just beautiful and bright, 
The snow is sparkling all around 

Like diamonds in the night. 
Hear the young, and old as well. 

Some will toot and ring the bell! 
There's music health and lots of fun 

When out a sliding down the hill. 



SLIDING DOWN THE HILL. 167 

Then they go over the snow, sitting on a sled, 
Down the hill bump-e-ty-bump, leader on ahead, 
Many voices shout, pull up the sleds, turn about, 
Ring the bells — blow the horn — 

Sliding down the hill:- 
Eing the bells — blow the horn — 
Sliding down the hill. 

, Beautiful stars, how bright they are, 
j Shining on the hiU up there. 

Evening star, none can compare 

In all the rays of splendor. 
Sliding, riding, o'er the snow, 
Down the hill how fast they go, 
J Ring up the bells-toot the horn 
' While sliding down the hill. 

• 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

NONE so little enjoy life, and are such bur- 
dens to themselves, as those who have nothing 
to do. The active only have the true relish of 
life. He who knows not what it is to labor, 
knows not what it is to enjoy. Recreation is 
only valuable as it unbends us; the idle know 
nothing of it. It is exertion that renders rest 
delightful, and sleep sweet and undisturbed. 

The true happiness of life depends on the regu- 
lar prosecution of some laudable industry. 



168 APPLE-SAUCE OF LIFE. : 

The apple-sauce of life is composed measura- 
bly out of nonsense; many a life is wrecked on 
the waves of sadness. If people in life do not 
love their home the reason may be they have 
never had any use for the apple-sauce of life. 

To tell it out plain, I have but a poor opinion 
of homes where laughter, merriment, nonsense, 
and jokes are unknown. 

Measure the gayety of any old graveyard and 
you have about the size of those who do not en- 
joy the apple-sauce of life, they never smile or 
laugh, for fear it would cause dyspepsia. 

I am quite aware that there is a forced gayety, 
and forced laughter, there is nothing naore sad 
when it becomes chronic. 

Solomon tells us that the ^'wisdom of man 
maketh his face to shine, and his countenance is 
no more sad." A hearty laugh is one of the best 
and rarest of things, and one of the surest symp- 
toms of moral health, though of course, this is 
as a rule by no means without exceptions. 

The apple-sauce of life is refreshing. I have 
known homes where there was a perpetual sigh- 
ing over the evils of humanity-past, present and 
to come;after the evils comes the faults, and after 
faults the errors, till the melancholy catalogue 
is all gone through, but that does not prevent it 



APPLE-SAUCE OF LIFE. 169 

from being renewed on the morrow. We all in 
some measure create our own happiness, which 
is not half so much dependent upon scenes and 
circumstances as most people are apt to imagine. 
The affections which bind a man to the place of 
his youth are essential in his nature; they are 
implanted in his breast, and cling to life from the 
beginning to the end . 

Take the cup of goodness in a saucer of grace 
and with some jolly cake you can soon have an 
inexpensive luxury, the apple-sauce of life. 

Thousands of men move, live, and pass off the 
stage of life and are heard of no more. Why? 
None were blest by them; none could point to 
them as the means of their redemption; not a 
line they wrote, not a word they spoke could be 
recalled. Will you thus live and die? 

Do good and leave behind you a monument of 
virtue that the storms of time cannot efface. 

Make home '^the dearest spot on earth, "by 
smiles of goodness; '^a little nonsense now and 
then is pleasing to the best of men." 

If you look into the early life of helpful men, 
those who made life easier and nobler to those 
who come after them, you will almost invaria- 
bly find they live purely in the manner that 
guided them in their youth. 



170 APPLE-SAUCE OF LIFE. 

Many children go astray, not because there 
is a want of prayer or virtue in the home, but 
simply because home lacked sunshine, and the 
apple-sauce of life. 

A child needs smiles as much as flowers need 
sunbeams. Children look but little beyond the 
present moment. If a thing displeases they are 
prone to avoid it. If home is the place where 
faces and words are harsh and faultfinding, 
is ever in the ascendant, the children will spend 
as many hours as possible elsewhere. 

Fathers and mothers make your home happy 
in spirit, — use a little nonsense the apple-sauce 
of life. Talk and play with the young in such a 
way as to make them love you, and be happy. 

FASHIONS TO ADMIRE. 



if you now intend to follow the fashions, 

Then let me tell you it will not be long, 
Before you will have a kind invitation 

To buy and sing my popular songs. 
Then at your home, no doubt they'll listen, 

For it would'nt take you very long, 
To prove to any one loving good music, 

That you have the best fashion in song. 



FASHIONS TO ADMIRE- 171 

Old fashions are good, but newer are better, 

Your clothing don't fit without a tailor, 
For every day at least, you should take 

To roast-beef mutton-chop, or pork-steak; 
And then side dishes to make things better, 

As onions, corn, beans and some pertater; 
And these are but few you could mention, 

To prove my song is not an invention. 

The late fashions are one and number two, 

For sale in all the great stores you know, 
And if you should buy don't think to escape, 

The observations some people will make. 
For some will talk of your finance condition, 

While others will mention your position. 
So don't mind now all the people have to say 

Keep up this fashion and sing ev'ry day. 

Don't give up your smiling, 
j Should anyone say. 

This wonderful fashion 

WiU ruin some day. 
For they who are coming 

In all the best style. 
Are saying these songs 

Eeplenish a smile. 



172 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

On a trial once held in Maryland, the princi- 
pal witness grounded all his charges on the in- 
formation of a ghost! The following narrative, 
selected fron an old Magazine, may exhibit that 
species of evidence in a correct point of view:- 

A farmer, on his return from the market at 
Southam, in the county of Warwick, was mur- 
dered. A man went the next morning, called on 
his wife and inquired if her husband came home 
the evening bef ore-she replied no, and that she 
was under the utmost anxiety and terror on that 
account. Your terror, said he, '^cannot equal 
mine, for last night as I lay in bed, quite awake, 
the apparition of your husband appeared to me, 
showed me several stabs in his body, told me he 
had been murdered by such a person, and his car- 
cass put into such a marble pit . 

The alarm was given, the pit searched, the 
body found, and the wounds answered the dis- 
cription given. The man whom the ghost had 
accused was apprehended and committed upon 
suspicion of murder. 

His trial came on at Warwick, before the Lord 
Chief Justice Raymond. The jury would have 
convicted as rashly as the justice who had com- 
mitted him, had not the judge checked them. 

He addressed himself to them in words to this 



AND DARING DEEDS. 173 

purpose: — ^'I think, gentlemen; you seem inclin- 
ed to lay more stress on the evidence of an ap- 
parition, than it will bear. I cannot say that I 
give much credit to these kind of stories; but be 
as it will, we have no right to follow our own 
private opinions here. 

We are now in a court of law, and must de- 
termine according to it. And I know not of any 
law now in being which will admit of the testi- 
mony of an apparition; and yet, if it did, doth 
the ghost appear to give evidence. ' ^Crier, ''says 
he, ^'call the ghost," which was thrice done, to 
no manner of purpose. ^'Gentlemen of the ju- 
ry, " continued the judge, '^the prisoner at the 
bar, as you have heard by undeniable witnesses, 
is a man of the most unblemished character, 
nor hath it appeared in the course of the exam- 
ination that there was any manner of quarrel or 
grudge between him and the party deceased. I 
do verily believe him perfectly innocent, and as 
there is no evidence against him either positive 
or circumstantial, he must be acquitted. 

But from many circumstances which have 
come up during the trial, I do strongly suspect 
that the genteman who saw the apparition, was 
himself the murderer, and in such a case he 
might easily ascertain the pit, the stabs, &c. with- 



174 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 

out any supernatural assistance; and on such 
suspicion, I shall think myself justified in com- 
mitting him to close custody till the matter can 
be further inquired into." This was immediate- 
ly done, and a warrant was granted for search- 
ing his house, when such strong proof of guilt 
appeared against him; he confessed the murder, 
and was executed at the next assizes. 

TRAIN SALVATION. 
♦ » » » ♦ 

God's train is ever running, 

On lif es track you must know, 
With one station in heaven! 

All others here below; 
This train is often stopping, 

But never in full view; 
It has unnumber'd stations, 

And one is kept by you. 

God's train is now for safety, 

And never carries sin, 
The track is old and narrow; 

But safe to enter in. 
We must find the conductor, 

Who'll banish ev'ry fear. 
And fit us up for glory! 

In our home atmosphere. 



TKAIN SALVATION. 175 

Keep your light ever shining, 

Don't squander time away, 
And live in sin and darkness 

For that will never pay. 
We must look for a kingdom, 

Prepar'd for all the blest I 
Then on the train Salvation, 

We'll enter into rest. 

Oh, sacred Head I love Thee, 

Yet trials weigh me down, 
I'm working for Thy kingdom. 

My cross is near the crown. 
Oh, sacred Head my safety, 

I shall from darkness flee; 
And take the train Salvation, 

For all eternity. 

REFRAIN. 

We can take the train Salvation, 

That will purify the heart; 
Then we'll journey on to Heaven, 

Where it's never, never dark. 
There we'll all sing hallelujah. 

When we hear the Saviour say! 
Behold the *^Light in Glory," 

That will never pass away. 



♦ » ♦ ♦♦ 



176 THE CHILD'S DKEAM. 

The sick child lay on her easy chair close to 
the window. It was a bright Summer evening; 
the rays of the setting sun fell first upon her lit- 
tle geranium in the window and then upon her 
own pale face. As she gazed and gazed into the 
glowing sky, and thought of the land that is far 
away, and wondered whether the glory of heav- 
en was any thing like the glory that lay at the 
gate. Then she sighed, as she thought how poor 
she was, how weak she was, how many wrong 
things she had done. Would she be forgiven? 
could God care for her? was it likely He would 
notice such a small child as she was? 

At last she fell into a gentle sleep, and had a 
pleasant dream; and the dream was like unto 
this: She thought she had done with earth, and 
that an angel was carrying her gently and ten- 
derly to heaven. 

And y^t he did not at once mount to the sky ; 
instead of that, he made his way to a large town 
near to where the child had lived; then he flew 
down into one of the closest and dirtiest back 
streets, and picked up a withered plant out of 
the rubbish heap. 

Nobody saw the beautiful angel. Then he be- 
gan to rise and soar away from earth toward 
heaven; and the child asked him why he wanted 



THE CHILD'S DREAM. 177 

that poor faded flower. Then he told her this 
story. ^^In a dull, dark cellar of the street we 
have just left/ 'he said, "there lived not long ago 
a poor crippled boy. Poor he was indeed, and 
most afflicted; and a dreary life he led down in 
that dirty room. At his best he managed to 
drag himself with slow and painful effort across 
the floor at other times he could not move from 
his hard bed. He had never played like other 
children, and had never seen the sweet wild flow- 
ers growing, nor the fields and woods, nor heard 
the birds sing in the Spring time. 

The neighbor's children brought to him some 
flowers; and one time a bright little girl, on a 
bright Spring day brought him a primrose in a 
plant dish. One or two flowers were in blossom 
and there were plenty of buds. Oh, what a treas 
ure this little plant was to his lonely heart. 

The poor boy tended it, watered it, and put it 
where a few rays of sunshine might best reach 
it, and at night placed it near his bed that his 
first waking gaze might rest upon it. 

It was the treasure of that short and joyous 
life then almost ended. The poor boy every day 
grew weaker, but his eyes rested in love upon 
his cherished flower, and his last gaze in death 
was fixed upon the pale sweet blossom , 



1T8 THE CHILD'S DREAM 

He died and then the primrose faded and died 
and was thrown into the street as worthless. 

Then the angel said — ^'do you know why I 
have told you this? ^^You gave me the primrose 
and I was the cripple hoy!" 

In the excitement of the discovery the child 
awoke from her dream. It was but a dream. 
The sun was just sinking down below the hori- 
zon, and there was her own beautiful geranium 
which had perhaps helped to suggest the vision. 
"It was only a dream,'' she said, half sighing, 
*'only a dream, and yet I feel better for it." 

Our Father in heaven is glorified with angels. 
He gives them their work to do, and the little 
joy which a flower may brings will always be 
of His own sending, 

I KNOW HIS NAME. 



I know the name in whom to trust, 

That name I now adore. 
He gives me strength to daily bear 

My trials on this shore. 
He stays my hope and hears my cry, 

He pardoned me from sin, 
He'll never say to me "good by!" 

While I belong to Him. 



I KNOW HIS NAME. 179 

I know in whom to daily trust, 

His name I now revere, 
And when the bitter trials come, 

He'll take away all fear. 
He will now guide my weary steps, 

Until life's march is o'er! 
And never leave me in distress, 

Upon this earthly shore. 

I know He hears me when I pray, 

There is no room for doubt, 
I'll battle on and keep the way, 

Though Satan lurks about; 
He is the foe which creates sin. 

His ways are all forbidd'n, 
The purest way on earth I know. 

Is that which leads to heav'n, 

I know a name that casts out fear, 

And dwells above the skies, 
His love will cheer and ever save, 

And strengthen christian ties. 
He is our ^'Father's Beloved Son," 

He's glorified by name! 
^^And He was born in Bethlehem, 

And on the cross was slain. '■ 



180 LITTLE DIFFICULTIES. 

There is no station in life in which difificulties 
have not been encountered and over-come before 
any decided measure of success can be achieved . 
Little difficulties are often our best instructors, 
as our mistakes often form our best experience. 
We learn wisdom more from failure than from 
our success; we often discover what will do, by 
finding out what will not do, and he who never 
made a mistake never made a discovery. 

A humming-bird once met a butterfly and be- 
ing pleased with the beauty of its person, and 
the glory of its wings, made an offer of perpetu- 
al friendship. 

^'I can not think of it," was the reply, "as you 
once spurned me, and called me a drawling dolt. 
* ^Impossible!" exclaimed the humming-bird. 

'^I always entertained the highest respect for 
such beautiful creatures as you." 

'Terhaps you do now," said the other,*' but 
when you insulted me I was a caterpiller." 

So let me give you a piece of advice; never in- 
sult the humble, as they may some day become 
your superiors. 

Little difficulties are not overcome by rank or 
by the beautiful surroundings. If there were 
no other proof, the face will often tell when we 
do right and when we do well. 



LITTLE DIFFICULTIES. 181 



a 



'A man that hath any truth in him, "said the 
Kev. Dr. Deems, important to be given to this 
generation, need not much concern himself as to 
where he shaU speak it. Some would twaddle 
about unappreciated genius and their difficult- 
ies. And then go whining among the butterfly 
school misses about the cold world: then others 
dream that if they had only such a position in 
such a city, such an editor's place, such a pulpit, 
such a theater of display, they would shake the 
old world's foundation. 

Many a young preacher in an obscure country 
parish has this temptation. Many a young poet 
who can not secure a publisher, goes into the 
fog. It's a shrewd old world with difficulties 
to overcome. But if the will-power is sufficient- 
ly strong the difficulties will disappear. 

It's hard work and good calculation that bring 
success usually ; and that sort of life is relished by 
those who are prosperous. They seldom have 
time to talk of their disappointment and their 
difficulties. 

Walk through life as you may, and say your 
say, and cry your cry, and just as sure as truth 
is in it, -it will scatter difficulties, -for it is the 
law of Nature and will never be repealed. Two 
wrongs never makes one right. 



182 HUMANITY REWAEDED. 

A surgeon in Florence, many years ago, saw 
in the street a dog whose leg had just been brok- 
en by a cart wheel. Compassion or curiosity in- 
duced him to send the dog to his house where he 
reduced the fracture, and confined the animal, 
till the case was completed. The dog was then 
discharged, not until many demonstrations had 
been shown of gratitude and joy. 

About one year afterwards the same little dog 
came into his study, apparently in great agita- 
tion, and extremly solicious to attract his atten- 
tion to something. The importunities of the an- 
imal did not cease until he had compelled the 
surgeon to descend into the yard, where to his 
surprise, he discovered slowly crawling by the 
gate another dog with his back broken. 

NEAE MY COTTAGE DOOE. 
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ » — — — 

Near my cottage I was sitting, 

In the sunshine one June day, 
And in rapture then was thinking 

O'er scenes that happened far away; 
Soon a breeze came gently wafting, 

And some clouds had gathered o'er, 
While I viewed the fields of nature 

Sitting near my cottage door. 



NEAR MY COTTAGE DOOR. 183 

Then I heard some bees a buzzing, 

And at once they filled the air, 
Flying all around my cottage, 

Singing merrily ev'ry where. 
Soon they settled down to lighting 

On the tree just out before- 
Then my heart was beating quickly, 

Sitting near my cottage door. 

Soon a hive I hastened after, 

For their home and honey store. 
But somehow then I did falter, 

For on me I feared they'd pour. 
Courage gained without protection. 

Then with hive I'd found before, 
Down with nervy hands I shook them 

And then sought my cottage door. 

You can think of lovely landscape, 

And of pleasures o'er and o'er. 
While I think of bees a buzzing 

That once made my face all sore. 
When that hiving task was over. 

From my eyes the tears did pour! 
And from stinging I was blinded, 

Sitting near my cottage door. 



♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 



184 GOOD ADVICE. 

Do not delude yourself with the idea that you 
can please every body. Who ever knew any 
body that was worth any thing that nobody 
found fault with him? You would have to be 
evil in many cases to please the evil; flatter some 
to gratify their pride; indulge the selfish, submit 
to the tyrannical, be a tool for the ambitious and 
be careful not to have any thing as good as those 
who desire to have every thing superior to their 
neighbors. 

If you are a public man, should you be diligent 
you must expect to have many secretly to dis- 
like and talk against you, and should you accom- 
plish little, though many may show themselves 
friendly, it often leaks out that some who ap- 
pear pleasant to you do thus because they do not 
fear your rivalry — they may smile on you out- 
w^ardly, yet entertain contempt for your ineffi- 
ciency. Always do that which is right, be dili- 
gent, do the most you can, pay no regard to the 
fault-finders and you will find as many friends 
as any sensible man need desire. 

Live for an object, and spend your time and 
means in such a way as to be of some benefit 
to others. The miser gathers his gold-^its pur- 
suit stimulate his endeavors and it is an accu- 
mulation which may bless the world after his 



GOOD ADVICE. 185 

departure. But occasionally there are in the 
community individuals and sometimes families 
whose lives seem utterly objectless. By the ac- 
cumulation of earlier days or by inheritance, 
they have a competence to live in — well — a state 
of nothingness. 

As citizens they are well enough, orderly, civil, 
social even, when brought by circumstances into 
communication with others. But they are not 
linked to any public enterprise. They seem to 
have no enemies, no special friends. 

Doing nothing to benefit the world-but like 
the door on its hinges, turns with the current of 
every-day life, leaving no impress upon society, 
no track to show they have ever been. 

The objectless way of living subverts all the 
good purposes and ends our being. It should be 
avoided and guarded against. 

Two or three generations of such living would 
result in a state of barbarism. Begin with the 
children, educate and train them to a purpose in 
life ;something outside of mere self, something be- 
yond the little circle that radiates around self 
and self's immediate kin, 

When we work and are cheerful and content- 
ed, all nature smiles with us; the air seems 
more balmy, the sky more clear the ground has 



186 GOOD ADVICE. 

a brighter green, the trees have a richer foliage, 
the flowers a more fragrant smell, the birds sing 
more sweetly, and the sun, moon and stars all 
appear more beautiful. 

We take our food with relish and whatever it 
may be it pleases us. We feel better for it — 

Now what happens to us if we are shiftless, 
ill tempered and discontented? Why, there is 
not any thing which can please us. We quarrel 
with our food, with our dress, with our amuse- 
ments, with our companions and with ourselves. 
Nothing comes right for us ; the weather is too 
hot or too cold, too dry or too damp . Neither sun 
nor moon, nor stars have any beauty; the fields 
are barren; the flowers luster less and the birds 
are silent. These pictures do not fade. 

BE HAPPY AS YOU CAN, 



This life is not all sunshine, 

Nor is it yet all showers 
But storms and calms alternate 

As thorns among the flowers. 
Now when we seek the roses 

The thorns we always scan, 
Still let us if they scratch us. 

Be happy as we can. 



BE HAPPY AS YOU CAN. 187 

This life has many crosses. 

As well as joys to share, 
They come in disappointments 

Which we all have to bear. 
But if old times obstruction, 

Entomb our dearest plan 
Let us with what is left us 

Be happy as we can. 

The sum of our enjoyment 

Is made of little things, 
As oft the purest water 

Come from little springs. 
By treasuring small waters 

The rivers reach their span, 
So we increase our pleasures 

Enjoying what we can. 

We may find some obstructiojis 

On which we plan to go. 
Still there are many places 

Where kindness we can show. 
But should we never follow 

The way some others plan. 
Yet let us make all around us 

As happy as we can. 



188 ^'WHEN COMPANY COMES." 

We often hear women say/ 'I was looking for 
company and had every thing all fixed ;-"or'' 
don't put on those white stockings, dear, wait 
till we have company ;"or, ^'0, no, don't use those 
dishes, they're for company." 

And so the best of every thing is saved for 
those who probably don't even respect the poor, 
fastidious, craven tool, except to drink her best 
tea, and then stuff down her cake and well-kept 
viands! I was amused one time while in B., at 
our landlady's visiting quite often a stylish fami- 
ly, who were so coarse and vulgar as to be re- 
pulsive. She was a very good woman, of a fine 
intellectual organization. One day as we sat 
alone I said to her, ''Mother, may I ask you a 
question, and you will promise not to be angry 
with me?" 

''You could not make me angry, child, what 
isit?"and she laughed at my hesitancy. "Well, 
do you visit the — a because you like them?" 

Her face flushed crimson; it was her turn to 
hesitate. "I will tell you; they are old neigh- 
bors of mine and I get tired sometimes here at 
home, and — and when they have company there 
is not a better table set in the whole city. " 

And here she leaned back, diverted with my 
simplicity and her own honesty, and laughed so 



'^WHEN COMPANY COMES.'^ 189 

freely and charmingly that I was coaxed into a 
fit of real boy laughter, Mother — was a noble 
woman, her appreciation of the beautiful and 
good never was excelled. 

I call it a bad state of affairs when every thing 
that is best is kept for company; when the poor 
father who earns all cannot enjoy the fruits of 
his own labor . For my part the best the home 
affords is for the toiling ones by whose sweat it 
was brought. If I have any apologies to make 
they are made to them, not to visitors. 

The best bed in the house is nightly occupied 
by two stout kicking boys, and unless the visitor 
is a feeble old lady I don't allow them to give up 
the spare bed at all. If we have corn cake and 
milk for supper, I never apologize more than to 
say, ''Perhaps you would prefer wheat bread 
w^ith milk." 

Then let the old folks stick to their old cus- 
tom and old-fashioned clothes ; that is if you seek 
their pleasure to that of visitors and callers who 
care nothing for you or yours beyond respect. 

We should not permit the cold fashionable 
v^rays of the world to come between us and our 
home hearth's affections. 

''We should close our ears to that freezing 
phrase, "What will people say." 



190 MAMMA'S DIAMONDS. 

I am going to keep all my pennies," said little 
Kate to her sister. **I have fifteen in my bank 
and by and by I can buy a diamond cross for 
mamma. She will look so pretty with it on her 
black dress." — *'0, mamma does not care for 
such things," said Emma. 

**But how do you know?" — * ^Because, the 
other day, when I asked her if she would not 
like to have a ring like that of Mrs. H., so beau- 
tiful and shining, she kissed me many times, 
and said- *'the only diamonds she wished for 
were those she saw in our eyes when we are good 
and happy. * *Well then I will buy her some oth- 
er present, "added Kate, * 'for I love her so much,^ 

I think," said Emma, ''that mamma does not 
care for presents; but would rather see us good." 

MOTHER'S SMILES. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

A mother's loving smiles, I once shared, 

And still her smiles are dear to me; 
I sadly have missed them a long while, 

For now she's gone beyond life's sea: 
But still I can think how pleasantly, 

Her loving smiles upon me shown. 
And her parting words, they stay by me, 

I weep o'er them when all alone. 



MOTHER'S SMILES. 191 

1 never shall forget, ''no never/' 

My mother's tender loving smiles; 
She kept me in childhood beside her, 

And called me her dear little child. 
How lovely she would rock me to sleep, 

And then lay me down to repose; 
And when I was full able to creep, 

Her anxiety no one knows. 

Years have flown and oft I ponder, 

Over pleasures I once did prize; 
I think of mother when I wander 

And cherish her true loving ties. 
All her words were so kindly spoken, 

They bound my pleasure and my will, 
As once my heart was almost broken, 

But my pulse is quickened still. 

Her greetings I love now to cherish. 

Although her smiles I cannot see! 
For she is with the angels sleeping. 

Just beyond the bright crystal sea: 
And sometime I shall go to see her. 

When the dear Saviour calls for me, 
Then from earth I'll cross life's river. 

And with her in glory be. 



-»♦»♦» 



192 OUR FOREMOTHERS. 

We hear and read about our forefathers; they 
were nice old fellows, no doubt. Perfect bricks 
in their way. Good to work, eat, or fight. 

Very well. But where are their companions 
their * ^churns "-who, as their helpmates, urged 
them along? Who worked for our forefathers^ 
brushed up their old clothes, and patched their 
breeches? Who unpetticoated themselves for 
the cause of liberty? Who nursed our forefath- 
ers when sick — sang Yankee Doodle to their 
babes — who trained up their boys? Our fore- 
mothers. Who landed at James River, and who 
came over in the Mayflower, and established 
other early settlements? Were there women 
among them? One would think not. Our Yan- 
kee neighbors especially make a great talk about 
the Pilgrim Fathers who squatted on Plymouth 
Rock. And there's a most wonderful ado made 
over it every time they wish to get up a little 
enthusiasm on liberty, and refresh themselves by 
crowing over freedom ; and the chivalry of Vir- 
ginia are not a whit behind them, when they 
take a notion to vaunt themselves on the glory- 
line. And our staid Pennsylvania Quakers, too 
like to plume themselves slyly upon the merits 
and doings of William Penn and his associates; 
but with all their * 'blarney, "so plentifully given 



OUR FOREMOTHERS. 193 

on all sides, what do we hear or gather about the 
foremothers? Did'nt they land on the rock too? 
Did'nt they encounter perils and hardships? 

And after all, did'nt they with kind hearts and 
warm armes, sustain the flagging spirits of their 
male companions, and kept the stalwart chilly 
old forefathers from freezing to death during 
those horrible cold Winters which some of them 
had to shiver through. 

We have our monuments commemorating, 
and our songs, our toasts, and our public dinners, 
celebrating the wonderful deeds of our forefath- 
ers; but where are those in honor of our fore- 
mothers? We had better be getting them ready. 
We talk ourselves hoarse, and write ourselves 
round-shouldered, while boiling over with en- 
thusiasm about the nice things our forefathers 
did; and yet nothing is said about our foremoth- 
ers, to whom many a virtuous act and brave 
deeds may be ascribed, such as any hero would 
be proud to own. 

Besides we forget to remember that if it had 
not been for our foremothers, we ourselves would 
not be here to know, and be proud of what our 
forefathers did. 

We wish not to detract. All hail to the noble 
old boys, our forefathers, say we. May the glory 



19^1: OUR FOREMOTHERS. 

of their deeds never be less ! but the Good Book 
tells us to ^'render unto Caesar, "etc, and as we 
wish to speak a word in season for women gen- 
erally, and especially for our noble and self-sac- 
rificing foremothers, lest time and the one sided 
page of history shall blot them forever from our 
memories. — banner of the covenant. 

GLORIOUS SUNSET. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Oh, bright and glorious sunset, 

In golden shades the West, 
And soon night follows after 

Thus giving time for rest. 
Then again the morn will dawn, 

And we our work persue, 
Though it may be burdensome, 

We can be kind and true. 

Oh, bright and glorious sunset, 

Thy shining realm above, 
Makes up a beautious picture 

Of blessed! blessed! love. 
It tells of days now passing, 

Before the night has come. 
And thro' the light of morning, 

To guide us to our home. 



GLORIOUS SUNSET. 195 

Oh, bright and glorious sunset, 

Of God's own rightfulness, 
Which now can illuminate 

In the home of the blest. 
We must live for the mansions, 

In that Kingdom of joy- 
Where sin can never enter, 

To harm or to annoy. 

then the clouds of darkness. 

Shall break away at last. 
When all the bitter trials. 

Are fully o'er and past. 
EVen then that glorious sunset 

We surely will behold, 
While passing through to glory 

And joys as yet untold. 

Oh, bright and glorious sunset, 

Our work will soon be done, 
And then we'U all behold Him. 

^^The Holy! Holy! One." 
So brilliantly He's shining, 

And blessing all mankind! 
Oh, bright and glorious sunset, 

All glory shall be Thine. 
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 



196 DOING NOTHING. 

* ^If I could only have a whole day to do nothing 
I should be so happy, " said little Bessie. 
* 'To-day shall be yours," said her mother. 

*'You may play as much as you please, and I 
will not give you any work, no matter how much 
you may want it." 

Bessie laughed at the idea of wishing for work 
and ran out to play. She was swinging on the 
gate when the children passed to school, and they 
all envied her for having no lessons. 

When they had gone she climbed up into the 
cherry-tree and picked a lapful for pies, but when 
she carried them in her mother said- ''That is 
work, Bessie. Don't you remember you cried 
yesterday because I wished you to pick cherries 
for the pudding? You may take them away. 

No work to-day, you know, " and the little girl 
went away, rather out of humor. 

She got her doll and played with it awhile. 
She tried all her toys, but they didn't seem to 
please her any better. She soon came back and 
watched her mother, who was shelling peas. 

"Mayn't I help you mamma?" she asked. 

"No, Bessie, that is-n't play. 

Bessie went out into the garden again and 
leaned over the fence watching the ducks and 
geese in the pond. Soon she heard mother sit- 



DOING NOTHING. 197 

ting the table for dinner. Bessie longed to help. 
Then her father came home from his work and 
they all sat down to dinner. Bessie was quite 
cheerful during the meal, but when it was over 
and father away, she said wearily, ' 'Mamma, you 
don't know how tired I am of doing nothing! 

If you would only let me wind your cotton, or 
put your work-box in order." 

' 'I can't my dear child, because I said I would 
not give you work to-day. But you may find 
some for yourself, if you can." 

So Bessie hunted up some old stockings and 
began to mend them. Her face grew brighter, 
and presently she said, ''Mamma why do people 
get tired of play?" "Because God did not mean 
to have us idle. His command is, "Six days shalt 

thou labor. He has given us all work to do. 

* * * * 

Children are susceptible creatures, and circum- 
stances, scenes and actions, will impress them. 
As you influence them, not by arbitrary rules, 
nor by stern example alone, but in a thousand 
other way that speak through beautiful forms, 
pretty pictures so they will grow. 

Teach your children to love the beautiful, and 
give them a corner in the garden for flowers, en- 
courage them to put it in the shape of a hanging 



198 THE BEAUTIFUL. 

basket. Allow them to have their favorite trees, 
teach them to wander in the prettiest woodlets, 
have them where they can best view the sunrise. 

The boys are not all perfect, 
This is evident you know. 

Still they have tender hearts 
And soon to manhood grow. 
Arouse them in the morning, not with the stern 
*'time to work, "but with the enthusiastic, ''see 
the beautiful sunrise. " Buy for them beautiful 
pictures, and encourage them to decorate their 
rooms each in their own childish way. 

You should praise them, and give them a 
chance to play; if they are attending school; it 
will do them more good than harm; unless they 
are born a fool. Make your home beautiful. 

THE LITTLE FLOWERS. 



Behold the little blooming flowers, 

Out in the evening air. 
So divinely pure and beautiful 

We love them everywhere. 
They teach a lesson for the mind. 

The faij-est must all fade; 
Yet they can cheer the rich or poor 

While blooming in the shade. 



THE LITTLE FLO WEES. 199 

We view the little blooming flowers, 

Standing in bright array, 
To cheer and beautify the home 

Before they pass away. 
Their perfume is wafted everywhere. 

Through balmy sunny air! 
The emblem of love and purity 

The fairest of the fair. 

We view the little fading flower 

With beauty almost gone. 
The loveliest blossom of the year, 

So sweet in its perfume. 
All the little changing beauty spots, 

''You see, must soon decay," 
The brightest colors of the flower 

Will fade within a day. 

We view the little fading flowers. 

When life to them is cast. 
We have viewed them many times, 

With pleasure in the past. 
But soon we'll say to flowery gem, 

Fare-well! fare- well! adieu! 
You are a gift from Nature given 

We'll fade sometime like you. 



200 THRILLING ADVENTURES 

AND 

DARING DEEDS. 



Milo A.Everest, the designer of this book was 
born in West Addison, Vermont, Mar. 14th 1843. 
His early life was spent on the farm, and his 
schooling was at the district school. 

At the age of 18 he enlisted in Co. D-12th 
U.S. Infantry. His father-grandfather and his 
great-grandfather were military men. 

After his discharge from the 12th, U. S. Infan- 
try, he then entered Eastman's Business College 
Poughkeepsie, N. Y. After spending one year at 
home and in school, he re-enlisted for the third 
Vermont-Battery of light artillery. 

In 1875 he was appointed Postmaster at West 
Addison, his native town-which office he held 
14 years; although he never sought but few offi- 
ces; yet he has held as many as 7 in one year, 
over which he can look back without regret. 

In the year 1900, he left his native State, Vt., 
and moved his family to Everett, Mass. , where 
he now intends to abide the remainder of his 
life. He is the author of a number of songs, 
and known as the Veteran Composer; his style 
of poetry is simple, the language can be under- 
stood by a child. His name'^EVEREST'^mounts 
as high as any- Mountain in the world. 



OUR NATION'S FLAG. 201 

— — — 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ » — 

It's our Nation's Flag we'U honor, 

It's the old'^Red White and Blue," 
And our heroes in great number, 

All deserve some portion too. 
Keep the Union-Flag up-waving. 

This remains for you to do, 
While in all the years that's coming, 

The old Banner will prove true. 

Keep the good old Banner waving. 

Read its history, thro' and thro'. 
While it's wonderful in meaning. 

You can know it's ever true. 
Through the nation's early struggle. 

Now it's pleasant to relate, 
How they all sang ^'Yankee Doodle," 

When the British met their fate. 

Cheer the Nation's flag, ^'Old Glory," 

True it waves in ev'ry land. 
And in our own beloved country. 

Children wave it with the hand. 
O'er the schools it's daily waving. 

Where the coming patriots stand, 
Where they study books relating- 

To the history of our land. 



202 IN THE TWILIGHT. 



When twilight shades goldenly o'er me, 

And touches each valley and hill; 
Then I pause in the vision before me, 

To behold one that's lovelier still. 
Through the veil I gaze up to heaven, 
* 'Where angels are white robed and free," 
Where no sorrow can darken or riv'n. 
There glory is shining for me. 

There they weary not in adorning, 

There they never say good bye, 
There the night is bright as morning. 

There nothing can wither or die. 
The cherubims that sing up in heaven. 

Sing not by the dim light of day; 
But brilliant in songs of true glory. 

They sing in the glorified way. 

Oh! for a home in that bright glory, 

That shines with its beautiful beams; 
From the Kingdom that radiates o'er me. 

The place I now cherish in dreams. 
I'm glorified through God's salvation. 

My being is blooming in love; 
My Saviour who gave his life for me, 

I'll praise in His Kingdom above. 



BANK OF THE RIVER. 203 



I once stood upon the bank of the river, 

And view'd the waters that flow'd rippling by, 
And there in the sparkling sunlight of beauty, 

Did I see there a picture of time on the fly? 
While looking before me and over the river, 

I saw the sunlight and shade on the shore; 
And as the birds sang so sweetly that morning, 

'Twas a picture of love I ne'er saw before. 

I walked forth along the bank of the river. 

In pleasure and joy that could never be told; 
I paused and beheld the beauties of nature, 

As the water roU'd by me so free and so bold. 
This river runs winding its way to the sea. 

And the sea it flows outward to ev'ry land; 
And many a thought came in rapture to me. 

Of the wisdom of God we scarce understand. 

We are going down the course of life's river. 

As millions of millions have journeyed before. 
Where all the light and the glory of heaven, 

Is shining for us on the golden shore; 
The days of our journey are passing along. 

Our joys and sorrows here soon will be o'er. 
While river's of love, ' 'will flow on forever" 

From the fountain o'er that beautiful shore. 



204 HE'S NO BETTER 

THAN HE OUGHT TO BE. 



He's no better than he ought to be, 
When he holds a high position, 

He's no better than he ought to be, 
Through any line or station. 

He must be honored by his friends 
Who can picture him the best. 

But when he builds upon life's way, 
Then his motives tell the rest; 

No matter if the people shout- 
He's better than his brother, 

Who notes the fashions ev'ry day 
And writes about the weather. 

He's no better than he ought to be, 

If he's born from high relation, 
He's no better than he ought to be 

You'll hear in ev'ry station. 
If on his neighbors you should call, 

In gossip they will mention. 
And tell about the one they know 

Who's agent for promotion. 
He would always do his level-best, 

To win in State or Nation; 
And now he's money to invest 

In some great combination. 



HE'S NO BETTER- 205 



He's no better than he ought to be, 

In this world of speculation, 
While noted men of high degree 

Must live on elevation. 
They are the men the people trust, 

And give their kind attention, 
Don't train yourself to be deceived 

And bring on lamentation. 



HOW TO BE MISERABLE. 

Think about yourself, about what you want, 
what you like, what respect people ought to pay 
to you, what people think of you, and then to 
you nothing will be pure. 

You will spoil every thing you touch; you will 
make misery for yourself out of every thing; 
you will be as wretched as you choose on earth, 
or in heaven either. For that proud, greedy, sel- 
fish, self-seeking spirit would turn heaven into 
hell. It did turn heaven into hell for the great 
devil himself. It was by pride, by seeking his 
own glory, that he fell from heaven to hell. 

He was not content to give up his own will, 
and to do Grod's will like the other angels. He 
would-be a master himself and rejoice in his own 
glory, and so when he wanted to make a private 
heaven of his own, he found he had made a hell. 



206 HIS LOVE WAS FALSE. 



His love was false and deceiving,. 

And in action now he's shy, 
I know for once I loved him, 

But he never-more comes nigh. 
His words have been misleading. 

They caused my heart to thrill^ 
I'll sometime try to meet him 

And then lend him my good wilL 
He can never-more deceive me 

And in this he'll understand; 
He has sever'd my love forever. 

And he may go to the sand. 

His love was false, as false could be^ 

While my heart was ever true; 
The letter last he wrote to me, 

Made me feel most dreadful blue. 
I knew not he was deceiving. 

Till after that letter came. 
It shattered my nerves to read it, 

And wearied my slender frame; 
Our plans were made for the future. 

Then my heart was full of joy; 
But soon after reading his letter, 

No more faith could I employ. 



HIS LOVE WAS FALSE. 20T 



His love was false"! know it," 

And now I'll tell you why; 
( He sought the hand of another, 
1 Who could dress so fine "oh- my!" 
And then he planned to leave me, 

And to falsify my name; 
He wrote I was unfaithful. 

And all that sort of thing; 
Just because the other girl, 

Could wear a diamond ring. 



FASHIONABLE WOMEN. 

Fashion kills more women than toil or sorrow. 
Obedience to fashion is a greater transgression 
of the laws of woman's nature, and a greater in- 
jury to her physical and mental constitution, 
than the hardship of poverty and neglect. 

The slave-woman at her task will live and 
grow old, and see two or three generations of her 
mistresses fade and pass away. 

The washer- woman; with scarce a ray of hope 
to cheer her in her toil, will live to see her fash- 
ionable sisters all extinct. The kitchen maid is 
hearty and strong, when her lady has to be 
nursed like a sick baby. It is a sad truth that 
fashionably pampered women are almost worth- 
less for all the good ends of life. 



208 THE GKOWING CHILD. 

— 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

How quick the growing child will find, 
That pleasure somehow cheer the mind; 
And sadness when it takes it's rise 
Is the great reminder of true ties. 

Some selfish motives may beguile, 
They come to every grown up child; 
But we should take a higher view, 
The life that's right, is always true. 

The grown up child should master self. 
And find the way to spirit wealth; 
And love the songs, the birdies sing 
That come to cheer us in the spring.. 

The growing child will kindly see, 
How self-conceit is one big-I-Be! 
While praising others leads the way 
To grander motives day by day. 

How pure is love that never dies. 
It's fountain dwells above the skies? 
It is the way, when leaving earth, 
It's always known in christian birth.. 

There is one, who can well deceive. 
And he can never the soul relieve; 
His name is Satan, and he'll dwell 
On ever line that leads to-Hades. 



THE CHURCH OF GOD. 209 



The Church of God should ever be, 
A place where sinners bow the knee; 
Where they can find a helping hand, 
To guide them to the promise land. 
The Church must stand upon this line, 
And teach the* 'Holy Word Divine:" 
No place on earth is better known, 
It is the christian's corner stone. 

All gospel preachers in ev'ry land. 
Should first seek the Saviour's hand; 
Then through pardon find the way, 
That will inspire them day by day; 
Then in the power, thro' love Divine, 
Proclaim the gospel to all mankind; 
And tell the sinner ''how they know," 
That God can save from sinful woe. 

The vile sinner to Church should go, 
And plead for pardon from all woe; 
When justified, by faith made clear, 
The light of peace will then appear; 
Then they will rightly understand. 
That inspiration is not of man; 
It's God within the soul and mind, 
It is His way to save mankind. 



210 A MOTHER'S PRAYER. 



A mother's prayer with tearful eyes, 

Down beside the couch of pain; 
Where her suffering daughter lies 

And all human aid is vain. 
There she implores the aid Divine, 

And in earnest pleading cries- 
'^Lord save-0! save in Jesus name, 

Save my daughter, or she dies." 

Better, -far better, her true desire 

Should rise to God in prayer. 
Than burn within the breast like fire 

While her hope did linger there. 
'Tis well to know that God can hear, 

Our poor imperfect prayers; 
And never should we doubt or fear. 

To cast on Him all our cares. 

An angel came to view the child, 

And while looking o'er the nest, 
The sick child embraced the angel, 

And soon entered into rest. 
Then quickly her life departed. 

For the Kingdom of the blest. 
The angel had the key to heaven 

And the child upon his breast. 



A MOTHER'S PRAYER- 211 



Soon the angel crossed the river, 

With his little burden lent, 
O'er the way to dwell forever- 

In holy comfort and content. 
Little children dwell in heaven. 

Far above earth's dismal street 
And the sultry air of summer, 

Or the storms of winter's sleet. 

Friends may see a solemn picture. 

Through this comely story told. 
Peace and plenty in the cottage, 

They were wealthy, rich in gold; 
Yet the house was full of sadness, 

G-loom and sorrow entered there. 
Friends looked in the little chamber 

Where the darling slept up stair. 

Curtains hung in golden splendor, 

Carpets velvet, hushed their tread; 
And many costly toys were lying 

All unheeded near the bed. 
Clouds of sorrow, soon came over. 

And all were tearful in grief. 
Moments then of lovely nature 

Came from Him who gave relief. 



212 TRIALS EVERYWHERE. 

. ♦ » ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Life is never free from trials, 

Trials come from everywhere; 
Should we live in joy and gladness- 

We will not be free from care. 
Thro' the happy days of childhood, 

And the pleasures then so fair, 
They were jewels in life's trials 

Now we carry everywhere. 

We may find our greatest trials, 

Coming on where we have sown, 
We may seek to borrow trouble 

And then try to hide our own. 
We may all have bitter trials. 

That will linger a long while; 
For we live in human nature 

But we never should be vile. 

We all know that life in parting, 

Leaves a dread and tearful tho't; 
Still we can by faith and working, 

Live here now just as we ought. 
Grieving o'er the home-like trouble, 

Brings on sadness dark as night! 
It's no use to fret and grumble 

It will never bring true light. 



TRIALS EVEEYWHEEE- 213 



When trials o'er-flow in sorrow, 

And the heart is throbbing sad ; 
Then the teardrops and the sighing 

Will cause others to feel bad. 
Sadly then we think of dear ones, 

Who have left us on this shore; 
They never will return again 

To live their sufferings o'er. 



■»»♦♦» 



REFOEMS. 

Some people are always much troubled about 
excitement in prosecution of reformatory enter- 
prises . They fear disastrous consequences from 
the enforcement of a law against the traffic in 
ardent spirits-or from the preaching of Christian 
truth. They deprecate excitement. Evil, they 
say, will result from it, to individuals, and the 
cause. To all such timid ones we commend the 
following language of D'Aubigne; spoken in re- 
ference to the reformation of the fifteenth cen- 
tury, but equally applicable to all time. 

^'Undoubtedly," he says, *'a thorough reform 
could not be accomplished without violence. 

But when has any thing good or great ever ap- 
peared among men without causing agitation?" 



214 PERFECT PEACE. 



Have Perfect Peace and joyful be, 

True Peace upon earth's sod; 
It is well known in righteousness 

Among true saints of God. 
It's Perfect Peace the Lord will give, 

Now His spirit can restore; 
It is His will, the world must know 

To save the rich and poor. 

It's Perfect Peace and holiness. 

The way our Saviour taught. 
The onl}^ happy way, ^ ^I know-" 

To live as people ought. 
The Lord will keep in Perfect Peace, 

Those who are trusting Him- 
With purpose true and definite, 

No more to harbor sin. 

Once Jesus heard my humble cry. 

His spirit came and said- 
* 'Behold My Peace I give to thee," 

In shame I bowed my head; 
The light of Perfect Peace came in. 

My faith was born anew; 
He pardoned me from all my sins 

And now I'm saved, 'tis true. 



PERFECT PEACE. 215 



My soul is joyous in the Lord, 
His Peace abides with me, 

He hath regard for my estate- 
^'His mercy made rae free;" 

He took me out of bondage then, 
' When burdened down in sin ; 

My soul is now in Perfect Peace, 
The joy-bells ring within. 



KING OF LOVELINESS. 

If our love in its highest conception is not 
divinely drawn it is because we have forgotten 
to admire the fountain of beauty, and to culti- 
vate that delicate intimacy with the ^ 'King of 
Loveliness," who would rejoice to transmit His 
secret to friends. Under the influence of this 
mighty friendship every form of sin has been 
conquered; — suffering and anguish have been 
borne with courage and hope, insults with meek- 
ness, — bereavement with a smile, care and toil 
with a song, and sacrifice with open arms. 

It has armed weekness with strength, despair 
with hope, and indolence with energy. By it 
the world becomes wiser, better and purer. 



216 BEAUTIFUL VISION. 



♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ » 



Beautiful gleam of the far off shore, 
Heaven I view as never before; 

Pure and unspotted in rapture of love, 
Jesus is there with the saints above. 

REFRAIN. 

Beautiful vision the crown of my tho't 
Beautiful vision of heaven I've sought; 
Beautiful-beautiful, ''angels of light," 
Sinless in glory, they're robed in white. 

Beautiful home in heaven for me, 
Never a place where sorrow can be; 

There in the sparkling glorified time 
Angels of love forever will shine. 

Beautiful tho't that reaches the skies, 
Jesus is there to bless all the ties; 

Meekly and lovely in heaven to meet, 
Glory to God for the way complete. 

Beautiful light o'er the crystal sea. 
Oceans of love are flowing for thee; 

Saved from sorrow we enter that shore, 
Saved in glory to part nevermore. 

Beautiful time, in love, peace and joy. 
Brilliant in hope and free from alloy; 

Visions of rapture, inspiring within, 
Viewing a kingdom, free from all sin. 



HUSBAND AND WIFE. 217 

Between husband and wife there should be no 
strife for supremacy. According to nature the 
husband is the heaven-ordained head ; but each 
should study the other's follies as well as virtues ; 
begin gentle toward the first-and give honor to 
the last. Daily young people are accepting the 
duties of the married state who are uneducated 
for the life upon which they enter so thought- 
lessly. The young wife has been tenderly shield- 
ed from all the cares or hardship of real life. 

The young husband may know more of the 
^'rough and tumble" of life, may have better 
studied men and their ways; but, unless brought 
up with sisters, he knows little of women. 

If he has a natural, tender, kind and loving 
heart, all will be well. He wiU ' 'f eed"his ' ^bears. " 
The old saying, that ''no quarrel can stalk about 
on one leg," contains a good deal of wisdom. 

Would that husbands and wives would bear 
in mind that "a soft answer turneth away 
wrath." The greatest rivers have their sources 
in small streams; and the bitterest domestic mis- 
ery has often arisen from some trifling differ- 
ence of opinion, when the ''soft answer" would 
have smoothed all the ripples in the matrimoni- 
al current. 

When we see how large a proportion of the 



218 HUSBAND AND WIFE. 

children of this age are entirely undisciplined 
at home, can we wonder that strife and heart- 
burnings in married life seem on the increase? 

Unless children can be taught self-control and 
unselfishness before they leave the home circle, 
to become the light and life of another home, we 
can not hope that their lives will be happy or 
their dwellings the abode of peace. 

Much unhappiness would be avoided if hus- 
bands and wives could only be as well-bred and 
polite to each other after marriage as they were 
before. It would seem, often, as if their good 
breeding was laid aside with the marriage dress. 
As children grow up around them, they follow 
in their parents' footsteps. 

If the mother is heedless of the father's wishes 
and wanting in proper deference to his judg- 
ment, her sons and daughters will soon adopt 
her ways. If the father is indifferent or care- 
less of the mother, meeting her remarks with 
ridicule or sneers, you may look for the fruits of 
his example in the children. 



Keep scraping and plowing and hoeing de rows, 
And when de season over you pay all you owes; 
But if you quit working when de sun-shine hot, 
The sheriff may levy and take all dat you got. 



SCENES I LOVE. 219 



I love a pleasant countinance, 

A smile upon the face- 
It denotes peace and happiness 

That loves the human race. 
I love the hero brave and true, 

Who dares for right to stand 
And carry out true principles, 

That honor God and man. 

I love the home where peace and joy 
And light can enter in, 

Where the songs of praise they raise- 
To keep their hearts from sin. 

I love to hear the song birds sing, 
The children laugh and play; 

While time is passing on the wing, 
With blessings for each day. 

I love to view the wild flowers. 
And gather some at noon, 

And carry them about in hand 
And breathe their sweet perfume^ 

I love to see the sun-shine bright, 
And watch its setting ray. 

And view the shadows on the hill- 
Just o'er the other way. 



220 SCENES I LOVE. 



I love to view the mountains high, 

The valleys and the plains, 
And many scenes I must pass by 

That's charming all the same. 
I love the rivers and the lakes. 

The ocean, wide to view; 
From shore to shore we can adore, 

For God hath made them true. 

OBEDIENCE. 

Some children are ready to yield as soon as 
they see by the mother's manner that she is a- 
bout to punish them. In the case of the child 
who at first refused to come when called, sup- 
pose, when he saw you rise to punish him, he 
yielded and came running, would it be best to 
relent and omit the punishment? If your object 
had been sinply to secure that one act of obedi- 
ence, no punishment would be required; but if 
your object is to secure a uniform habit of obedi- 
ence, I answer he has been guilty of disobedi- 
ence, and should be delt with accordingly. 

I once knew a mother who had so trained her 
child that he never thought it neccessary to obey 
her, unless he saw her start to rise from her 
chair to come to him, and then he darted away 
to fulfill her command. I would not care for 
such obedience as that. 



PROFIT AND LOSS. 221 

Now conceruing this subject we too often for- 
get the significance of our Master's question: 

'*What shall it profit a man if he gain the 
whole world and lose his own soul? 

How often we see the covetous person directly 
opposed to the obvious fact that all men are as 
much under obligation to do business for the 
glory of God as any are to go on a mission to 
the heathen, or preach and pray for the same. 

In each of these ways the Church, by the life 
of many of its covetous members, indicate to the 
world that business is their first object and re- 
ligion the second; that money is the principle 
thing and holiness subordinate . 

Let us enter some of our wealthy Sabbath 
congregations and see what disclosures are made. 
Here sits a young man and respectable member 
of the Church, entering on a prosperous busi- 
ness. He owns a neat residence on Merchant's 
Row. He does not consider himself penurious. 
He gives to charitable objects on occasions ; but, 
because he is just beginning his career, he feels 
justified in giving sparingly. 

He intends to do more when better able; but 
he never comes to feel any better able. 

As Providence smiles on his efforts, the ardor 
of his love grows cool. 



222 PEOFIT AND LOSS. 

Secret prayer grows irksome as his income 
grows larger, and is finally abandoned, and fami- 
ly prayer goes with it. 

Eiches have increased, and he has set his heart 
upon them. He is a covetous person, and yet is 
in good and regular standing. 

Had he in the beginning formed a plan for 
doing good, and extended it as his wealth in- 
creased, he would have been more than safe in 
his Profit and Loss account. 

But he had not such plans, and consequently 
yielded more and more to the covetous spirit. 
till he well-nigh made shipwreck of his faith . 

This is the history of thousands who in early 
life were promising members of the Church. 

^*When I had but little," said a man under 
deep conviction of his error, *4t seems to me as 
hardly worth saving-but when my fortune be- 
came large, it then appeared very important 
that it should be kept together and accumula- 
ting." He is now able to take the advantage of 
others- He shows the best part of an article as 
a specimen, and then sells the worst. 

His Christian consistancy is destroyed, and 
his early religious influence is lost. He becomes. 
a burden and a reproach to the Church, and 
covetousness is the cause. 



PEAELY GATES. 223 



When the Pearly Gates are open, 

And Jesus shall appear; 
Oh, how bright will be the dawning, 

Through Heaven's atmosphere. 
Angels then will pass before us, 

In their robes white and clear; 
What a greeting there together, 

When we all shall appear. 

Thro' the silvery mist that vails us. 

In death loved ones have flown; 
By and by we'll sometime meet them 

With Jesus on His Throne. 
Blessed name in love excelling, 

He from earth went away. 
He is coming back, ^^He's coming!" 

Before the judgement day, 

When a voice in tender sweetness, 

From Heaven calls the blest. 
Then we'll pass beyond earth's portals 

And enter perfect rest. 
Glory then will shine upon us. 

No future need we dread. 
For our King is King in glory 

And King o'er all the dead. 



224 FOUNTAIN OF LIGHT. 

It is our business in this world to secure an 
interest in the next . They that spend their days 
in faith and prayer shall end their days in per- 
fect peace; who would not deny himself for a 
time that he may enjoy himself forever? 

The Devil promises comfort, and pays in sor- 
row. If you follow Satan you will find the 
tempter to be the torm enter. If you follow God 
you will find the counseller to be a comforter. 

It matters not who are our accusers if Christ 
be our advocate; Christ made himself like us 
that He might make us like Himself. 

If we live to worship God here, He will take 
us up to worship Him above; we will change 
place but not the employment. 

The Devil would as soon pluck Christ out of 
heaven as out of a believers heart. Never use 
the garb of Christianity in which to serve the 
enemy of Christianity. If a man claims to have 
been pardoned from all his sins, and he believes 
still that he is a sinner, is he not virtually work- 
ing in the interest of the Devil? Man that is 
born of the spirit of God, hates sin, and will not 
enter into that which he hates. 

** Verily, Verily, I say unto you whosoever 
committeth sin is the servant of sin." **Give 
unto the Lord the glory due unto His name. " 



TEUE HONOR. 225 



In true honor we should labor, 

Free from sin and paltry- pelf ; 
And then keep this maxim ever, 

*'Love thy neighbor as thyself," 
Life is not a dream or vision, 

It's of value more than earth: 
And to forgive and be forgiv'n, 

Is all golden full of worth. 

If you see your brother stumble, 

And then fall out by the way, 
Help him up if you are able 

Then a kind word have to say. 
We should try to help each other, 

With a motive true and right; 
We must try to win God's favor 

And have honor in His sight. 

In this world there's nothing better, 

Than God's grace full and free; 
It will keep out sinful pleasure, 

It will cause the blind to see. 
Seek His love in truth and honor, 

And thus cultivate the mind : 
If you sow the seeds of discord- 

You will reap that very kind. 



226 FOUNTAIN OF LIGHT. 

Never say that you love Christ if you love sin, 
which was an enemy to His life and spirit when 
He was on earth, and is an enemy to His glory 
now He is in heaven. 

The mirth of the wicked is like the laughter 
of a mad man, that knows not his own misery; 
When God pours out His spirit upon man, then 
he quickly discovers that all arguments against 
His word are fallacies; all conceits against His 
word is foUey; and all opposition against His 
word is madness. 

The soul that was made for God can find no 
abiding happiness but in God, through His Son, 
Jesus Christ . ' 'Let us therefore follow after the 
things which make for peace, and that where- 
with one may edify another, in the unity of the 
spirit in the bonds of peace." 

We should ever remember that we must give 
an account to God how we spend our days, one 
day spent in sin is too much-endeavour to be 
truly and thoroughly religious, and be not dis- 
couraged at the difficulties; **for as by one man's 
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the 
obedience of one shall many be made righteous. '^ 
Do not contend for every trifle, whether it be a 
matter of right or of opinion. It is but little of 
the world that is gold or silver. 



SINFUL DEEDS. 227 



Sinful deeds are all disgraceful, 

They bring sadness to the home; 
They at first may not seem hurtful, 

But in time the work is known. 
It is wisdom we should treasure, 

Look to one who rules on high; 
Be of value to your Saviour, 

Bid all sinful work good bye. 

One small lie may cause disaster, 
For it often leads to more: 

Thus old Satan through his spirit, 
Ruins people by the score. 

Life is never pure in meanness, 
It's through evil sin will grow; 

Read the Bible and be joyous- 
It is Jesus you should know. 

Little sins will lead to greater. 

They are often seeds of woe; 
Keep within the christ-like nature, 

Sowing kindness where you go. 
Let no motive have your favor, 

If deceitful, *^that you know," 
For the sinful deeds in pleasure, 

Are the surest ones to grow. 



228 FOUNTAIN OF LIGHT. 

Man is the greatest enemy to himself when he 
allowes himself to be in bondage to sin. It is 
not of God that men are condemned, but of them- 
selves, even their own willfulness, they live to 
sin because they will, -that is because they will 
not seek salvation. 

What is sin but wrong doing, it is sometimes 
like a bee with honey in its mouth, but a sting 
in its tail. Many a man shifts his sins as they 
do their clothes ;they put off one to put on anoth- 
er; this is but waiting upon the Devil in a new 
livery. It is not a talking, but walking with God 
that gives a man the denomination of christian. 
In regard to natural life, we live in God: in re- 
gard to spiritual life Christ lives in us. 

Christ hath entreated God to be reconciled to 
us, and now He entreats us to be reconciled to 
God. If you forget Him when you are young 
He may forget you when you are old. 

There is no honor known to the world like the 
relationship to Christ, no riches like the grace 
of Christ, no learning like the knowledge of 
Christ; and no person like the servants of Christy 
If sin were better known, Christ would be better 
thought of. We must all pass through the door 
of eternity; man does not die because he came 
from clay, but because he is infected with sin. 



IT'S NO DREAM. 229 



It's no dream that life must sever, 

There's no sham in plans Divine; 
We will sometime cross life's river, 

To where sin can never climb ; 
Then with Christ we'll enter glory, 

Then we'll hear the angels sing- 
There in joy all pure and lasting, 

Dwell forever with our King. 

We can all have faith and courage, 

While we journey day by day; 
We can build on God's foundation, 

'Till this life has passed away. 
Then we'll hear the angels story, 

As we meet the dear ones there: 
Then we'll share each others glory. 

In God's Kingdom ev'ry- where. 

Up in mansions saints will gather, 

All those worthy have a share. 
They will always know each other 

In that Realm bright and fair; 
We must seek and find the Saviour, 

Who will take our sins away. 
Then He'll bless our ev'ry favor 

While we sing or while we pray. 



230 FOUNTAIN OF LIGHT. 

If heaven does not enter into us by way of 
holiness, we shall never enter by way of happi- 
ness. We speak to God in prayer, He speaks to 
us in His word. The church cannot live with- 
out the promise. 

When entering the Church of God for wor- 
ship, leave all worldly conversation outside; how 
can we expect God to honor us, if we do not hon- 
or Him. To prevent Satan from running the 
Church, 'let the Saviour in." 

Darkness may as well put on the nam e of light 
as a wicked man the name of christian. 

A desire for happiness is natural; a desire for 
holiness is super-natural. There is no way from 
sin to holiness, till we pass from sin to Christ. 

If we have not confessed our sins and found 
pardon, we still remain in rebellion to God. 

All true christians should be like Noah's ark 
that was pitched within and without, they must 
have a holy inside and a holy outside, profession 
and practice must agree together. 

''They who will not hear Christ say come to 
Me in the day of grace, shall hear Him say de- 
part from Me in the day of judgement." 

A church may live for years without Christ, 
' 'having the form of godliness, but denying the 
power thereof." 



PRAISE GOD. 231 

♦ » ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Praise God in little bands and sing, 

With voices tuned for heav'n, 
Oh, sing His praise where e'er you can, 

Rejoice when sins forgiv'n; 
Oh, praise the Lord in daily toil, 

Wheji burden blends with care- 
Proclaim your Saviour's holy name 

In pure and fervent prayer. 

The noblest men e'er on this earth, 

Have in God' love been blest. 
They gave the homage of their heart 

To Him who gave them rest. 
Oh, praise the Lord and never fail. 

While faith you can employ, 
Keep true the covenant you make. 

And sing true songs of joy. 

Praise God ye earthly stars of light. 

The world is watching you; 
The craggy rocks, and mountains high 

Have taken on their view; 
And from each cliff and lofty peak, 

Will peals of gladness come! 
When all the people on the earth 

Shall worship God's dear Son. 



IS IT NOT TRUE? 232 

Is it not true that many are on their death- 
beds before they think rightly of life? 

They are going out of the world, while they 
begin to know whereof they come in it. 

We came into it for this great business, to 
save our souls in the faith and obedience to God, 
but when we have time to do it, we neglect or 
forget that business, and then begin to think of 
it when the time appointed is gone. 

We spend time in doing nothing and more in 
doing evil, but little or none in that great matter 
whereof we were born. The soul must be in per- 
plexity at the hour of death, that seeth the day 
spent and the assigned business not begun. 

A traveler that seeth the sun setting when he 
is entering on the journey must be aghast !-the 
evening of the day and the morning of the task 
do not well agree together. 

THE END. 

- — ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦^ — - 



Heaven's door will be open 
When we come in view; 

If, spotless and robed in white, 
There none of this world- 
Can ever pass through; 
Without the Saviour's true light. 



